


These Days

by floatingdreams



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Love, Married Couple, Married Life, Mileven, One Shot Collection, Pretty Much All Fluffy Goodness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2019-06-16 21:20:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 92,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15446094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floatingdreams/pseuds/floatingdreams
Summary: Mike and Eleven have been an established package deal since the November reunion of 1984. They’ve done some growing up and continue experiencing new adventures along the way.Otherwise known as a Mileven one-shot collection.Mainly focused on writing adult Mileven, but will take any requests!





	1. A New Hope Has Formed (1995)

**Author's Note:**

> Eleven’s powers have recently been making her feel an onslaught of emotions that were not her own. She comes to realize one thing that’s for sure. She’s late. She’s never late for anything, yet Mother Nature seems to have slipped from her habitual timeliness. Now she’s caught up in planning how to tell Mike of her new +1 in a perfect way.

She realized it last week when she was doing her usual cleaning routine. 

El had that Friday off from work, so she took advantage of her free time. She had already completed the kitchen area and was halfway done the living room. 

Led Zeppelin IV was playing throughout the apartment and was nearing its end when she felt her powers heighten again.

They had been on the fritz all week, making her whole system more sensitive than she was used to.  
Sometimes this happened when her time of the month was nearing, but this was more intense than she was used to.

Instead of acknowledging that something was off, she choose to ignore it.

She was dusting the picture frames that her and Mike had scattered on their China cabinet when the levees broke free within her mind.

El's shaky hands knocked over one of the picture frames that contained a photo of her and Mike at the snowball of 1984.

After she picked it up, she stated aloud to her empty apartment the realization that just rocked her mind.

"I'm late."

She felt the words on her tongue and continued.

"I'm late. And I can already tell this is no false alarm."

Once she soaked in this information, her eyes darted towards the clock. She registered that she had a little over an hour before her husband would be back from work. 

El made her trip to the pharmacy and back in record time.

It's a good thing she had already drank several bottles of water that day so that she could take all three tests in one go.

While she waited for her three answers to appear, she took the time to vocalize her thoughts again.

"If they're positive, that's good. We've been trying. And it's okay if I'm scared, it's normal."

She released a breath before going over what would happen if her senses had mislead her.

"If it's negative.. we keep trying. We're twenty four. We're young and have a lot of time to try."

Ten minutes had passed when she finally faced her results. What she saw made her vision blur from the tears that had filled her eyes. 

El felt her grin overtake her face as she calmly stated the first sarcastic remark that came to mind.

"Well, Mrs. Wheeler, this just got real."  
——————————————————————————  
Eleven had found out she was now eating for two over a week ago.

However, there was still something she had to face. And that was the fact that her husband still did not know he had a baby on board.

El couldn't wait to tell Mike, but she wanted to make sure she told him in a meaningful way. He had always done sentimental things for her and she wanted to return the favor.

She was in the middle of eating a snack and singing along to the record she had on while thinking over creative ideas.

Ever since she found out she was a party of two, she had increased her amount of singing. 

She knew it was silly considering she was no more than a month along. But still, if there was some odd chance that her baby could hear, she wanted them to know they’re being carried happily.

‘I never wanted anyone like this, it’s all brand new, yo—‘

Her singing and brainstorming was suddenly interrupted by her favorite voice.

"El! Come here, I wanna show you something!"

Mike sounded so giddy that El quickly moved herself down the short hallway as fast as she could.

"What's up, babe?"

Her husband responded to her by shoving an oddly familiar picture frame into her hands.

"Taa-da! Look! I was cleaning out our dresser and found the nice frame Jonathan and Nancy gave us for our wedding. We don’t have any pictures that would fit a frame that size, but see, I found something better!"

It was then that Eleven really took a look at what was within the grey colored frame. 

She knew Mike has always held onto each one of their movie tickets since 1985. She never understood why, but they seemed to mean a lot to him, so she never questioned it.

"It's some of the movie tickets I've saved! There's the Breakfast Club, which was the movie we saw when I dropped the popcorn and almost cried, but then you kissed me and shared your m&ms with me. And there's Halloween 4: the Return of Michael Myers, which was the first horror movie you'd seen in theaters and I was so proud of you."

Eleven continued looking over his work and soaked in all the other movie titles they had seen together. Some were definitely more recent, like Jurassic Park and Sleepless in Seattle.

She had begun tearing up and was about to thank her husband, but his rambling had beat her to it.

"I'm sorry. I should've focused on cleaning and not this. I can put it back and we can put someth-"

El couldn't listen to him belittle this thoughtfulness any further, so she cut him off.

"Mike! This is one of the best things I have ever seen. I can't believe you really held onto all of these tickets for over a decade now. I love it and am definitely putting it somewhere special."

Mike felt elated by her response. However, his happiness crumbled when he saw her lips begin to wobble.

He stepped closer to his wife and put his hands on her cheeks. His concern grew stronger when he noticed she had begun crying.

"Baby, what's wrong? You've seemed stressed the last few days, is everything okay?"

Internally, Eleven was now panicking. He knew something was going on, but this wasn't the time to tell him. So, she settled for telling him the partial truth.

"Everything is perfect. I just love you and this gift so much.”

It seemed that Mike was willing to except her response because he quickly kissed her forehead before melting into her eyes again.

"So, let me get this straight. You're just emotional because of this completely one of a kind love that we share?"

El lightly slapped his shoulder and giggled at his playful comment.

She took a glance back at the frame and saw that there was an empty space right in the middle of the collage that Mike had made.

She furrowed her eyebrows before questioning his motive.

"Did you run out of tickets to put in there? I'm sure I have one in my purse or something."

Mike quickly shut her down and let her know what he was planning for the temporarily blank space.

"Actually, I wanted to leave it like that for right now. I felt like something new should go there. Either the next movie we see or maybe a receipt from our anniversary dinner."

She was about to accept his answer and move forward when her mind suddenly alerted her of an amazing idea.

El finally had the perfect way to tell him, but first, she needed to create a simple masterpiece of her own.

She would need a distraction in order to pull this off. So her mind jumped to the first thing it could think of, food and movies.

"Hey, would you be okay with me ordering Chinese food and renting a video for tonight? I think you’ve earned your favorite take out meal and a night in with your lovely wife. Plus it can be my thanks for this one of a kind piece of artwork you've made."

Mike quirked his eyebrow and gave her a suspicious look. 

"El, you don't owe me anything. But if that's what you wanna do, I'm more than okay with that."

She nearly broke out into a happy dance at his response. Her plan was given the green light. But she needed to contain her excitement for the time being.

Eleven pulled Mike's head down to her level so that she could put some of the love she had for him into a kiss. He was more than eager to except and kept it going until they were both in need of catching their breath.

"I'll be back in about an hour or two Mr. Wheeler."

She planted a firm kiss on his cheek and was making her way out of the apartment when she heard him dramatically shout, "I love you Mrs. Wheeler! Come back to me soon!"

Mike released a sigh as he watched his wife leave their apartment. The sigh was followed by another exasperated breath when he realized he still had cleaning left to do.

Little did the tall curly headed man know he was only a few hours away from receiving the best news of his life.  
——————————————————————————  
Before El picked up the Chinese food and the movie, she made a stop by Hopper and Joyce's house.

She figured her parents would be out of the house for their typically scheduled afternoon date, but soon discovered she was wrong.

Apparently Joyce had picked up a Saturday shift, which is why El found her dad napping on the couch.

She didn't want to wake him, so she continued through the house until she made it to her childhood bedroom. It was the perfect place for her to make her small craft without Mike knowing.

What she failed to realize in her hurry was that Jim had woken rather quickly. He followed after her because he thought something was wrong. 

Hop had always been protective of his daughter, so worrying was something that came second nature to him. When he made it to her bedroom, he looked in and saw she was writing onto a small piece of cut up paper.

"Ellie, you can't just storm in here and start working on some sort of project before telling me what's going on. I'll never turn you away, but kid, I need to know what's going on."

El felt badly for disturbing him, but kept her mouth shut for another two minutes until she finished her work.

Instead of verbally answering him, she simply showed him what she had just made. She watched as he read and then re-read the words she had just scribbled. 

It took twenty whole seconds for her old man to chuckle and bring her into an embrace.

"I'll be damned."  
——————————————————————————  
After she left her parents house she quickly picked up the take out and a video. As she walked into her apartment, she couldn't help but relish in the nervous-excited butterflies that were surrounding her stomach. 

What if Mike hated what she was about to tell him? What if this wasn’t actually what he wanted and he left her? 

She immediately repressed those negative thoughts. She knew this couldn't result poorly, or at least she really hoped it wouldn't. 

She gained more reassurance when she remembered what Hopper just said to her on her way out the door.

"Ellie, I love you. Wheeler loves you. He is going to cry more tears of joy than I just did. Oh, and he is going to love this little thing you came up with. It's corny and nerdy, just like him. Now, drive safely, but get yourself home to that boy and make this the best damn day of his life!"

El quietly shut and locked their apartment door with her hip before calling out to Mike.

"I'm home!"

Their meal went by much faster than El had anticipated it to. Before she knew it, she was placing everything she needed to tell him into the pocket of her pajama pants.

Shortly after she situated herself onto the couch, she felt her husband crash beside her before hearing his voice.

"So, what movie did you pick out?"

El responded by dropping the VHS into his hands and suggestively raising her eyebrow.

"I figured we could go with one of our favorites for the sake of romance. Also because I felt like watching it."

Mike laughed as he looked down at the copy of Star Wars: A New Hope. He kissed El of the cheek before walking over to the tv.

As he was setting up the video, El was preparing herself to reveal the news. She took the piece of paper out of her pocket and got her husband's attention before he pressed play on the movie.

"Babe, can we talk for a minute before the movie?"

Mike shot her a curious look before rejoining her on the couch. He threw his arm around her shoulders and brought her closer to his chest.

She breathed in the comforting smell that was purely Mike and began telling her secret.

"I-I have to tell you something", El quickly put her hand up when she noticed he was about to cut her off, "it isn't bad. At least I don't think it is. I've been thinking of ways to tell you for the past week, but nothing seemed worthy. Anyways, here it is. I kind of copied off of your idea. I hope you don't mind adding this to the space you left in the frame."

El quickly shut herself up and handed over her creation.

Mike took a second to cradle the tiny white stub of paper that was in his hand. He recognized that it was a movie ticket that someone, AKA his wife, had re-created. 

At first he wasn't really reading what the ticket said because he was too distracted by his wife's messy penmanship that he loved so much. However, when he finally read it, his breath hitched.

"El.. is this.. I-oh my god!"

He immediately had tears gushing down his face as an awful mixture of cries and laughter escaped his throat.

He looked down at the ticket El made once more and processed what it said. 

‘Star Wars IV: A New Child. Starring soon to be parents: Mike & El. Coming in 9 months to a nursery near you. Two will become three. May the parental force be with you.’

When Mike looked back up, El was sitting there with the three positive pregnancy tests in her hand. 

Before Mike's brain had a moment to fully absorb all of this information, he needed to make sure this was all really happening.

"Is this real? You're really pregnant?"

El shyly nodded her head before watching him jump up and down like a little kid. After he was done his happy dance, she asked him for some clarification.

"So, you're happy with this?"

Mike's eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he heard her question.

"Uh, yes! I am the happiest man alive! We are having a baby! Oh my god, baby. We're having a baby!"

Before he was even aware of what he was doing, he was gently pulling El off the couch. 

He brought his wife into a meaningful kiss that only lasted a few seconds because of the amount of tears that were streaming down both of their faces. He pressed his forehead up against her's before breaking the silence.

"I knew there had to be something happening that was making you act differently the past week. This is the best news ever, El. But are you happy? Is this what you want?"

El's heart swooned because she knew how lucky she was to have a husband that cared so deeply about her thoughts and feelings. More tears gathered in her eyes before she started talking.

"I'm happy. I am so happy that there will be a creation of you and I in this world. I'm scared, and I am emotional, but I am happy. You're going to be the best dad, Michael Wheeler."

She was going to gush more about how great Mike is, but he had beat her to it.

"El, you're going to be the best mother to our child. They're going to see how strong you are.. and they’ll be able to receive the amount of love you have to give even though you've been through so much. I love you."

He barely finished what he was saying before he excitedly picked her up bridal style and ran them into their bedroom while shouting, "we're having a baby!"

As it turns out, Mike and El didn't end up watching a movie that night. Instead, they had shared a passionate exchange before cuddling beneath their sheets.

They fantasized about what is to come for them and how their lives will change. They talked about the mellow yellow color they would paint the baby's room and all the different names they wanted to pick from.

The couple determined that although parenthood would be hard at times, that this will be something they do together.

Just before they fell asleep, Mike whispered El's name into the crook of her neck.

She rolled herself over so that she was facing him when she answered, “yeah, Mike?"

She looked at the man she loves and saw his dark brown eyes shine even in the darkness of their room.

"Thirteen has always been my favorite age because it was when I met you in the rain. Twenty three was always a close second since it was when you finally became my wife. And nineteen came in third place because it was when we shared our first apartment. But now.. twenty four makes me the happiest. I can't wait to see how happy we are in each age."

El took a moment to process what Mike had just said. 

Yes, twenty four still felt young and full of things that couldn't be promised. But she was sure that their love would only continue to grow. Regardless of time and age, their family would always flourish.

El whispered, "I love you so much", and allowed her love to fall asleep with his head on her chest. Her hands found his hair while his hands were plastered to her stomach, almost as if he was protecting the two of them even in his sleep.

El was going to give into sleep, but first she looked over at their dresser. 

There sat the beautiful frame that contained the completed movie ticket creation. In the middle of them all sat her hastily made confession.

Looking at it made her think about the memories that were to come. 

At the age of twenty four, her and Mike had shared more experiences than average couples did in their entire lives. 

Little did she know that their family would only continue to encounter many more experiences within their incredibly love filled years.


	2. Tell Your Truth (1995)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a lovely day for Eleven and Mike to reveal some news to their friends and family.

Summer time was quickly approaching and the Wheeler family was in the midst of tidying up their apartment. Well, more accurately, Mike was attempting to sweep away the cluttered mess he had somehow built up in just forty eight hours.

On the other side of the apartment, El was busy looking over her outfit again. She analyzed her body from every single angle to see if her bump was at all noticeable.

For the past four months only Mike and El, plus her adoptive parents, have known of the pregnancy. But, by the end of the day, there would be about ten more people in on the news. 

All month long they have been contacting family and friends quite consistently to assure they were all still able to make it.

In fact, earlier that morning, Mike called up the entire guest list one more time.

"Jesus, take the Wheeler boy away from the phone line. You woke me up. Now for the last time, I'll be there. If you call again, I'll be at the local bar instead", that was what Steve had said before abruptly ending the call.

The two soon to be parents couldn't help but pester them. They needed everyone they loved to be in attendance since it was such an important gathering.

Mike was just about done shoving his workbooks underneath the couch when he heard his wife calling him.

"Babe, can you please come here? I don't know what to do."

He rushed down the hall and felt his breath snatched from his lungs when he found his wife looking at herself in the bedroom mirror.

She had on a black and white ankle length dress that had a few ruffles scattered among her chest and stomach. Her hair was pulled back, which allowed him to see her face perfectly. 

To him, she looked like an angel.

Mike took a deep breath and put his arms around her. Her eyes met his through the mirror before flickering to his hands, which were resting on her stomach.

She had looked calm before, but now Mike could see her eyebrows beginning to crinkle in an unpleasant way.

"You look absolutely beautiful, love", he said, hoping that his truthful compliment would settle whatever disturbance had just popped up in her mind.

She quickly pointed to his hands and said, "Mike, what is this? Can you see my bump that obviously? I don't want them to walk in and immediately know I'm pregnant."

As soon as she finished talking he quickly pulled his hands off her stomach before raising them high in surrender.

He was about to assure that her outfit did a fantastic job of hiding the slight bump she now had between her hips, but she began talking again.

"I'm just going to switch into your Gremlins hoodie and shorts. That way I can say, 'surprise, we're having a gremlin of our own!', actually, that's genius."

El was quickly moving over to their closet to find the hoodie when her husband stepped in front of her.

"Nope. The Gremlins hoodie is off limits for this event because you look amazing. I can't even tell you have anything different going on until I actually touch your stomach. So as long as you don't let anyone lay their hands there until after lunch, then we'll be fine."

She could tell he was really telling her the truth because he had always been a bad liar. After soaking up this information, she took the time to give him a look over.

He was wearing a simple white button down that was tucked slightly into his dark blue pants. He looked casual, yet ready to get down to business when necessary.

"Thank you, baby. You look really handsome. I don't know if people will be more excited about the pregnancy or the fact that you've actually combed your hair."

El's comment earned her a poke to the nose before she was dragged forward. She had just barely felt his lips brush against her's when their doorbell buzzed.

Mike let out a sigh and said, "wow. They ruined the moment."

El quickly leaned all the way forward so that their lips could stay against one another's for a few seconds longer.

She was just pulling away when they heard the doorbell ring another eight times followed by Max's voice.

"Hey! Losers! You guys just invited us over seventy different times, and now we're here, and you still haven't let us in! Some people have to pee really bad here people."

The couple laughed and looked at each other before linking hands.

Just before opening the door, El muttered to her husband, "it's showtime."  
———————————————————————  
"Mikey, do you have any more cookies?"

Everyone arrived hungry, so they all had already scarfed down the lunches that Mike & Eleven prepared. 

Holly was going onto cookie number three, but turns out there wasn't any left to be found. Mike was confused when he looked for the tray of cookies and found that it was missing in action. 

"Holly the cookie tray isn't out here, did you check and see if it's already out in the living room?"

He watched as his now teenage sister began stomping over towards Will and Dustin before confiscating the plethora of cookies from their grasp.

He was still watching the scene unfold when he felt someone come up behind him.

"Hey, so, this is some gathering. Is there some kind of news you guys wanted to tell us?", came Jonathan's voice.

Mike glanced at him and sent him a stiff smile. He was always bad at keeping in his excitement when he needed to play it cool.

"No, no, we just wanted to have everyone over at once. Especially because we all haven't been in the same room since the wedding."

Mike watched as his brother in law processed the response he had just received.

"Hm, that's really nice. But man, you're terrible at lying."

Just as Mike began to sweat and think of ways he could counter back, his wife called the two of them back to the living room. 

"Do you guys want to play a big game of charades?"

Eleven's idea seemed to go over well. They watched as each person took turns doing different acts based on the cards they were given. 

Will at one point had to perform a one man show of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, which ended up lasting about five minutes because nobody wanted to stop him from making a fool out of himself. 

Karen and Ted had to work together to accurately portray Steven Spielberg's E.T., which was comical to say the least.

Eleven and Mike had already planned out which couples charade they were going to do. It was cheesy, but they figured the room of people would appreciate hearing their good news in a silly way.

While Steve was trying to get the room of people to guess Ridley Scott's Alien, the couple was busy quietly going over their game plan.

"Okay, so you're going to start by breaking the silence rule and say my due date aloud to see if it clicks for them?"

Mike nodded his head and then confirmed what would come next, “yeah, we start off easy and give the people that information. Then we can do cute baby things. Like fake crying or whatever we come up with on the spot."

El laughed a bit before hearing Max shout, "it's Alien! I win! In your face, Dustin!"

The room full of people laughed before Hop called out the couple.

"Alright Wheeler's, show us what you two have got."

El was then dragged to the front of the room by her husband where their friends and family were patiently waiting for them to begin their turn.

Mike could see that Eleven was nervous, so he sent her a wink of assurance. 

Although that did alleviate some pressure, she couldn't stop herself from zoning out. She never did like being the center of attention. Plus, it was only natural for her to feel nervous about her baby becoming public information. 

Her ears began to block out all of the talking in the room, which caused her to focus on the current song that was ringing out of the record player.

She barely processed that Mike had just said their due date of November 14th because she was busy repeating the lyrics of Dancing Queen in her mind.

It was then that she snapped out of it and looked around.

Everyone was watching her, waiting for her to deliver the next hint. Her palms got sweaty and she felt the heat in the apartment spike. Before she knew what was happening, their secret came barreling out of her chest.

"I'm pregnant. Mike and I are expecting. I'm due on November 14th."

Mike's grin began stretching across his face as he took the pictures from the ultrasound out of his pocket. He held them up for the room to see before throwing an arm around his wife.

It was then that the silence in the room abruptly ended.

"Pregnant! We have a baby on the way people! Everybody stay calm!", cried Dustin before he excitedly launched himself at an unsuspecting Steve.

Lucas was the first one to make it to the couple and quickly brought the two of them into a hug.

"I'm so happy for you guys. If you need anything, just let me know. I'll be the best uncle ever, I promise."

It was when they stepped out of the hug that they realized their friend was crying tears of joy.

Mike brought Lucas into a separate hug of their own because he was happy his lifelong best friend was here for this. The two had always butted heads, literally at least once a year. But it was important moments like these they would remember most.

Lucas then stepped aside to let others come up to the couple with congratulations.

Karen came up quickly, with Ted awkwardly lingering beside her, as she delivered motherly kisses to the soon to be parents.

Meanwhile, Max, Will, Holly, and Nancy were in the middle of touching El's stomach after they'd received permission to do so.

While the three girls were introducing themselves in high pitched tones to the growing baby, Will was softly speaking to El.

"Congratulations, sis. You're going to be such a great mom. How have you been feeling?"

She was always lucky to have a brother like Will. Jonathan was an amazing sibling as well, but the bond that Will and Eleven shared was strong. Their gentle hearts had both been placed through the harshest challenges, which made it easier for the two to understand one another.

"I'm feeling.. amazing. It all feels right,” she said happily.

Her younger brother was about to respond, but that was when Steve and Jonathan cut in.

"Ellie belle you are glowing", said the long haired beauty boy before smacking a kiss against her cheek.

El could feel her face flush from all of the positivity she was receiving.

Jonathan’s voice broke through to her next, "I'd just like to say I knew something was up. That husband of your's is an awful liar. I can't wait to meet my niece or nephew."

Before she knew it, she found herself in an embrace between both her brothers.

It was Jonathan that soon spoke again, "anything. If you ever need anything, we are always here for you."

She felt tears begin to prickle at her eyes, but before they could fall, she heard a throat clear from beside her.

She broke out of the sibling love fest and saw her husband and father standing beside her. Mike brought himself down to her level and murmured, “cake is ready to go if you want to do surprise number two," which El had quickly nodded to.

Mike shouted over the excitement and ABBA, which was somehow still spinning on even throughout the madness.

"Hey, if you guys don't mind joining us in the kitchen really quick, there's one more surprise we want to show you."

As the bodies of their loved ones trampled towards the kitchen, everyone began to laugh when Max loudly questioned, "Jesus, another surprise? What's next? They're high class drug dealers?"

After the giggles subsided, El asked her mother and father to come to the front before addressing everyone.

"Well, I'm about four months along already. Just this past week, Mike and I found out the gender of our baby. And we would like to have mom and dad do the honors of cutting the cake to reveal it to you all."

Joyce's eyes began to water before she placed a frail hand over her heart.

"Are you sure you want us to do the honors sweetie?"

El began to tear up and nodded, "of course I do, mom."

Mike tucked El into his chest as they watched Hop grab the knife.

She felt the pressure of her husband's lips against the top of her head as they anxiously waited for the news they had already known to come forward.

Even before their doctor informed them of their baby's gender, Eleven had already correctly sensed what she was carrying. And it seemed that Mike had some sense of powers as well because he too had correctly guessed.

The two of them watched as the knife slowly cut through the cake that read in yellow and white frosting, 'girl or boy?'

Hopper slowly dragged out the first piece of cake before a fat stream of tears slid down his face. 

Vanilla cake was plain, but sweet. 

The mix of pink dye that was added to the sugary dessert created something that was both soft and powerful.

Once again, it was Dustin that yelled out, "ladies and gentlemen, it's a baby girl!"

The room shook with the squeals and leaps that were taking place for the second time in fifteen minutes.

This time, it was Nancy that reached the couple first.

"You two.. have one of the strongest bonds in this world. And you've both been through a lot. I know that things have been difficult and I know this will be an experience that has its ups and downs, but I just want to say that I know this little girl will grow up however she wants. Your love is a special one. Whether she's into football or wants to do dance, I just know she's going to have the most supportive parents ever," she finished talking as her voice broke, which urged Mike and Eleven to hug their sister tightly. 

Although the two oldest Wheeler siblings had been distant at times while growing up, it was El that ultimately reminded them to always cherish the one's you have in your life.

As the whirlwind of the afternoon transitioned into night, their guests had started seeing themselves out of the cozy apartment.

Right before leaving, Dustin had to squeeze in the final goodbye.

"Congrats my lovebirds. I love you guys and I will be spoiling your daughter. I have to get her a hat to match my own. Also, the food was deliciousness. Kiss your baby goodnight for me", his words cut themselves off when Lucas yanked the back of his friend's shirt and closed the door to the couple's apartment.

As soon as El finished clicking the locks on their door into place, she felt her feet leave the ground.

She found herself swung over her husband's shoulder and thrown into bed before she had a moment to protest. 

Mike laid himself down next to her and suggestively raised his eyebrows, “shall we celebrate today's successes?"  
———————————————————————  
About a half hour later, El was peacefully resting with her head on Mike's chest.

He was beginning to fall asleep to the sounds of every inhale and exhale his wife was taking when he suddenly heard her musical laugh.

He glanced at her before questioning the cause of her giggles.

"What's so funny?"

El lifted her head up so that he could see the humor in her golden eyes before stating, "you know, I spent hours making the decision of what outfit to wear. If I knew that poor dress was going to be discarded on the floor of our room, I probably would have actually went with the Gremlins hoodie."

Mike leaned down and pressed a delicate kiss to her shoulder. 

"You would've looked amazing in anything you wore. And as much as I loved you in that dress, I almost like it laying on our floor just as much," his comment concluded when she a lightly flicked his nose.

El was taken by surprise when she was rolled onto her back. She felt the covers slip down her body as Mike brought his face down to her exposed stomach. She felt the familiar tickle of his lips pecking her bump as he whispered soft words.

"Baby girl, mommy and daddy already love you so much. We can't wait to spoil you with all the love our big family has to offer. You're going to know you're loved each day."

After he was done, he looked up and saw that his wife had something with writing on the back of it in her hands. 

He raised himself up so that he was sat shoulder to shoulder with her and looked down at what it was.

It was a photo of Mike and El when they were fifteen. El had just finished learning how to ride a bike that day and the two were celebrating with ice cream.

The photo showed that her eyes were crinkled shut as her boyfriend at the time tickled her cheek with kisses.

Mike turned to her and asked, "I forgot all about that picture. Where'd you find it at?"

She shrugged her shoulders and pointed to the bedside table, "I just noticed it sitting there while you were checking in with our girl."

She felt the picture smoothly escape her hands as the man next to her turned the photo over.

On the back written in blue ink was, 'I knew this gathering was going to be for something special, so I wanted to bring a copy of this picture I took. The love you have always had for one another will only continue to grow as you welcome your new addition. Love, Jonathan'

Tears immediately took over both sets of their eyes and turned them to glass. Mike leaned his head on her bare shoulder and kissed her collarbone. 

"He's right. Our love has always been immensely strong, but each day I can feel it get stronger. I can only imagine how much deeper I will fall in love with you when our little girl arrives, El."

El's cheek then met the top of her husband's dark curly hair and she whispered, "I love you both more than I'll ever love anything."

It was in that moment that the two of them met their peaceful rest. The photo still laying there with them.

Just as they had predicted, when they awoke the next day, their love was already growing larger than it was the previous day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter was enjoyable for readers! I had a lot of fun writing this one, so it was completed pretty quickly.   
> For anyone that plans to continue reading the one-shots I post, you can expect a new one each week! Or maybe more when the writing seems to flow naturally.. we shall see.  
> Wishing the best to all! (:


	3. Blizzard Me a Mess (1995)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Mike and El go out for icecream to fulfill one of her pregnancy cravings they end up seeing a familiar face from the past. The brief encounter makes them reflect upon a specific day in 1992 when an important occurrence happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am trash at writing summaries, but anyways, I believe a reader named Val had requested I write about Eleven feeling as though Mike was cheating on her, so here’s this oneshot that reflects on a special day that was filled with lots of messy emotions. Also, there’s ice cream. Enjoy! (PS - Val, if you’re reading this, I hope you especially enjoy! I appreciate you requesting, it helped me meet a new challenge. Thank you thank you!!)

It was six months into El’s pregnancy when she discovered just how out of control her hormones were. Her emotional range was thrown off completely which left her feeling as though all of the positive quirks and ticks that had made her herself were now missing.

On top of that, her body was continually going through changes. There was at least one new stretch mark a week that formed on her stomach and she was quickly discovering that her breasts no longer fit comfortably in her bras.

Taking all of these uncontrollable conditions into consideration made her feel as if it was only fair that she got to indulge in every craving that channeled through her bloodstream.

In that moment El had decided that what she needed most was an ice cream sundae. She had been in bed trying to find a peaceful nap while Mike was somewhere else in the apartment working on the novel he was writing.

Feeling too lazy to move, Eleven decided to use the loudest voice she could muster to get her husband’s attention.

“Mike! Mike!”, she called out.

As soon as she had shut her mouth, her ears picked up on a collection of brutal noises. First was the sound of Mike whacking his shin off the dining room table.

“Ow, nope, moving on, ignore the pain”, he muttered.

The second thing she heard was his socks smacking against their hardwood flooring. And lastly, she heard his heavy breathing coming from the foot of their bed.

Although he was still winded from his adrenaline rush, Mike managed to ask as many questions he could possibly think of, “what’s going on? Did you feel the baby’s first kick? Do you need me to run you a bath?”

El looked up at him innocently before releasing a small giggle. Her husband looked like he had just been through a crisis all while having ran a marathon.

While she was laughing Mike shuffled himself next to her on the bed. He grabbed her cheeks and examined her face for signs of something being wrong. After discovering that she was okay, he furrowed his brows.

“Did you need me from me something, babe? What’s going on in that head of your’s?”, he questioned as he jokingly tapped her head.

She looked up into his dark brown eyes and fluttered her eyelashes to assure he was being captivated by her.

“Mike, I really need ice cream. Will you please come with me to the Dairy Queen that we used to go to during college? I know you’re busy doing hard work, but your girls really need a peanut butter chocolate sundae”, she pleaded and finished her request with a precious pout before laying her hand on her stomach for extra measure.

As soon as Mike could escape from her hypnotizing gaze, he huffed out a breath that was strong enough to temporarily move a few curls away from his forehead.

“El, you know you don’t have to beg me for something. If ice cream is what you and our baby want, then it’s what you are going to go get!”

Right as he finished declaring that he would do anything for his love, he felt an eager kiss placed on his lips that lasted way too shortly for his liking. But, before he could lean in and capture his wife’s lips again, he felt the bed shift and saw her moving out of the room.

“Come on, babe! Let’s go!”, she shouted.

He playfully rolled his eyes before quickly following after the giddy woman.

About a half hour later the couple had found themselves cuddled up in a booth. Eleven had finished her sundae within a blink of an eye, so she was now picking at the sweet treat Mike had ordered.

They had been sharing a quiet conversation when they saw a familiar face walk in. Someone that they had never expected to see again and El felt her stomach drop just at the sight of her.

“Everything happened so fast that day that I never apologized.. if she even remembers us then she probably thinks I’m an awful person. Do you think she remembers?”, El questioned with concern.

Mike quickly shook his head and said, “no way, that was three years ago and I think she knew it was a misunderstanding. There’s nothing to worry about.”

However, he was quickly proven wrong when the blonde woman’s face contorted itself into fear before she bolted out of the building.

Eleven felt her eyes begin to well up with tears as Mike tried to hold onto her hand as tightly as possible. He wanted to send her reassuring words, but she was up and out of there within a second.

Mike followed her out to the parking lot and focused on trying to soothe her.

“El, it’s okay. Everything that happened back then was not your fault. I need you to calm down baby, okay?”, he said while getting closer to reaching her.

Alls Mike wanted to do was supply her with comfort, yet she immediately shrugged away from his hold and stated, “I’m such a monster, Mike.”

He was quick to clasp her hand in his own. It was when their wedding bands clinked together that the two recalled a memory that was engraved in their minds.

Silence settled over them as they were brought back to such a beautifully misunderstood occurrence.   
————————————  
Fall of 1992 (Age 21)

El and Mike were nearing the winter break of their junior year at college. Their lives were understandably busy, but recently, El noticed her boyfriend becoming strangely distant.

A lot of the time it was like he was afraid to make eye contact with her. She wasn’t sure what exactly was going on, but she knew she missed his dark brown eyes melting against her own.

She followed her intuition which only made her aware of one sure thing. He was hiding something that he didn’t want to tell her. And that seemed to be making him drive a tense wedge between the two of them.

After questioning him countless times over the past few weeks, she continued receiving the same excuses. Yes, she believed that he was truly tired and stressed. However, El was no idiot. 

She knew her boyfriend well. Whenever he had felt overwhelmed or found himself lacking sleep, the only thing he had ever needed was comfort from his girlfriend. He always sought her out to be his healer, but this was different. He wouldn’t tell her what was going on.

So, when talking directly to him left her with more questions than answers, her next move was to consult with Max about it one day between her classes.

“I don’t know Max, maybe he doesn’t love me anymore”, El said while barely choking back the sobs that were begging to be released.

Her best friend wrapped her up in a hug and began gently rocking her.

“Ellie, there’s no way Wheeler could ever stop loving you. There has to be some other reason he’s acting like this.”

It was then that Max had an idea. One that would lead them to more trouble than necessary.

“Hey, isn’t Mike’s last class finishing in ten minutes? Maybe, if you don’t mind skipping your next class, we could sneakily follow him? It’ll be like a spy mission!”, she exclaimed.

Honestly, El had never planned on having to question the trust she had built with Mike. But right now, she felt like she was beginning to lose him. And that was something she could not bare.

Before really taking a moment to think of what the consequences could be, she had already found herself in the passenger seat of Max’s car as they followed closely behind her boyfriend.

As he drove directly past their apartment building, she felt her heart sink. She muttered mostly to herself, “he said he always goes right home.”

A few minutes later they watched as Mike entered the local diner. It was the first place he and El got breakfast at after moving into their apartment two years ago. Ever since then, the diner had become a place they went to at least once a week.

Eleven began thinking he was just stopping by to grab himself lunch. Her faith was being hopefully restored.

That was until a few moments later when all hope had crumbled. When she had to watch him step outside with a blonde girl. She looked to be a few years older then them, but she was absolutely stunning.

After El could comprehend this situation, she then got a front row seat of the woman bringing the man she loves into a hug before kissing him on the cheek.

The events that happened next had occurred so quickly that Eleven had not even realized her body had exited her friend’s car. She was failing to hear Max’s cries for her to remain calm.

The only thing she was aware of was the rain had already completely soaked her and that there was a sharp stinging sensation radiating from her hand. She could then tell that her powers placed themselves into her palm, which had helped deliver a harsh slap.

The woman before her was clutching the right side of her face and looked at Eleven with shock and fear before spitting out, “who are you?”

El made a manacle chuckling sound that did not belong to her. She turned and pointed at Mike, who was now sporting a wide eyed look, before she responded.

“I was the girlfriend. Was.”

She was already making her way back to Max’s car when Mike pulled on her hand.

“Baby, it is not what it looks like. I know things haven’t been the way you deserve lately, and that’s my fault, but I have a really good reason for that. You have to trust me,” he pleaded desperately.

El snatched her hand back from his cold grasp before informing him of the decision she had just made.

“I’m going to get my stuff and go somewhere else. I’m sorry I wasn’t enough. Have fun with her,” she said coldly.

She almost stopped walking when she heard a familiar scream mix with the heavy falling rain, “Eleven! No! Stop, please, you have to come back. Please, believe me, I can’t lose you.”

It was when she had already gotten back in the car and felt Max pull away that she called out the phrase she knew still haunted him.

“Goodbye Mike.”

He felt his body become temporarily paralyzed as he watched the car disappear from his sight. It was as if somebody had tied his feet to heavy weights before pushing his lanky body into a deep pit of water.

After standing there for another thirty seconds, his senses gradually returned to him.

There was time. He could meet her at the apartment and explain what was going on. He could stop her from leaving, but he had to be quick.

Mike completely forgot about the blonde woman’s presence as he quickly sped off in his car.

He was never able to keep a secret from her. He had figured that if he didn’t communicate with her for two weeks that he would be able to pull off the surprise, but the silence he had created had shattered the only heart he would ever love.

He had already been missing her so much and he knew he couldn’t let this, them, end because of his silly secret.

He could hear the twelve year old version of himself weeping in the memory of a destroyed classroom, ‘where are you? Eleven! El!’

Mike was so caught up in thinking about the only time he’s ever lost her that he nearly drove right by the apartment. He then ran up the three flights of stairs and burst through the apartment door as quickly as possible.

“El! Eleven, where are you?”, he called out.

After silencing himself, he realized he could hear a voice and some sniffling coming from their bedroom. He ran down the hallway and stopped when he saw a sight that made him feel worse than he already had.

His girlfriend was curled up on their bed hugging a picture of the two of them. It was a recent photo that had been taken over summer break. He had her thrown over his shoulder as he ran them towards the ocean. That day was so warm and filled with joyous fun. 

Mike rattled himself from the good memory he was reliving and took note of the red head that was rubbing comforting circles onto the love of his life’s back.

Max looked up and gave him a look of hatred. One he was sure he had given her plenty of times before El’s return.

Before he could speak, it was Max’s voice that cut through the silence, “explain. You tell her everything. And once I find out the truth from her later, I’ll decide if you’re worthy of being a member of this party. Don’t mess this up, if you already haven’t.”

All he could do was nod his head in response and watch as Max excused herself.

Once Mike heard their apartment door shut, he quietly slid into the bed and pressed himself up against his girlfriend’s back so he could hold her closely while she cried. He thought that as long as he held onto her tightly that there was no way she could leave him here.

He was thinking of what the right words to say were, but Eleven had found her voice before him.

“I have loved you all my life.. I only ever wanted to make you as happy as you’ve made me. But I do not know how to handle this pain and I do not know how to make somebody love me. I need to leave,” she said weakly.

Mike responded by rolling her limp body around so that he could cradle her face in his hands. He noted that her usual pink lips were tinted a light shade of blue due to the freezing rain that had left her chilled. Her soft cheeks were soaked with the salty sorrow only he had caused. He desperately searched for her golden brown eyes, but found that they had been sealed shut.

“El, look at me. I love you and I can explain. I just need you to look at me so that you know I’m telling the truth,” he stated shakily.

She slowly pried her eyes open and weakly connected her’s to his. Mike did not waste another minute he was given to earn back her trust.

“I’m sorry for being distant. I really am. I just was doing this thing that I hoped you would really like and I didn’t want to blow the surprise by telling you like I know I would have. I’m sorry I made you question our trust that we built. I’m sorry for letting you ever feel like I could have stopped loving you, but that’s something that will never happen. I’ll never act this way ever again, I promise.”

He had just finished speaking when Eleven immediately shot out the question that had been burning her tongue, “ok, I guess that covers the distance. But whatever secret you were keeping still has not been told, so why don’t you tell me about the woman I just saw you with? Was she the surprise you’ve been working on that you thought I’d love so much?”

Mike could feel his girlfriend begin to shake. He was unsure whether it was from being cold from the rain or if it was caused by all of the negative emotions he had made her feel. What he was sure of was that he only had a few more seconds left to explain himself before she was gone, so he didn’t waste his breath. 

“I actually don’t know much about her at all. This is the first time I’ve ever met her. I know that she is a jeweler from this shop in Chicago. She was the only staff member that was available to meet me at the diner here today and that had been arranged so that I could get the ring right after my classes ended. We chatted about my girlfriend that I love so dearly and the dreary weather we have been having before saying goodbye. I never asked for her for a hug or to kiss my cheek. She is nobody other than the one to deliver me the ring I bought. That’s it”, he firmly clarified.

El’s eyes met his again, but this time with a much softer glance. He watched as she seemed to search his eyes for any lie he could have possibly just told. After detecting nothing, she slowly raised herself forward and leaned her forehead against his own.

“You aren’t cheating on me?”, she whispered.

Mike pressed his forehead more firmly against her’s before he whispered back, “I could never cheat on the love of my life. I have always and will only ever have eyes for you. You’re my home and you’re my soulmate.”

Eleven felt relief channel through her veins as she realized that she never had to worry about losing him. She was rattled from her thoughts when she felt herself being brought into a passionate kiss. The feeling of Mike’s lips burning against her own was the final validation she needed. It had also nearly distracted her from one more thing that was now on her mind.

Mike began to feel his girlfriend’s hands push on his chest before their lips broke apart. He shot her a worried glance before he heard what she had said. 

“A ring for what?”

His mind immediately went into a flurry of things to say. He had prepared the words he wanted to say to her when he proposed, but couldn’t recall them well enough in this moment.

Before he overthought it too much, he pulled Eleven to the edge of the bed before he slid himself to the ground so that he was positioned between her legs. He shifted himself onto one knee and readied himself for what was to come.

“El, I could never survive without you. Being your boyfriend has made me the happiest man alive, but I’m not satisfied with that title anymore”, he paused and reached into his pocket before pulling out the cause of this disaster.

“I want to be your fiancé before becoming your husband. I want to continue making you annoyed when I interrupt your studies for attention. I want to keep making you breakfasts in bed. I want to make you the happiest woman on earth because you have always made me the happiest man. And I would be elated if you would ever agree to be my wife. I know this isn’t the most romantic way to ask, but will you marry me so we can spend the rest of our lives together?”

He watched as the tears fell from her eyes and landed onto his hand that was holding up the ring.

He was beginning to feel insecure, but it was then that El began frantically nodding her head before crying out, “yes! Yes! I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but yes!”

Mike had quickly slipped the ring on her finger before silencing her with another strong kiss. This time when she pulled away he dove into her neck and began to leave colorful bites on her sensitive skin.

Before she got too lost in his touch, she gasped when she realized everything that just happened.

“We’re engaged! Oh my god, Mike! I’m sorry I ever doubted your trust. And oh my god, I hit that poor woman and all’s she did was bring this ring to you. I am so sorry for everything”, she wailed.

He quickly stopped her from worrying by pecking her on the lips once more. When they pulled apart, Mike had tears in his eyes and a look of disdain on his face.

“I almost lost you. I can’t go through that again. I’ll make sure you never feel the need to doubt my trust”, he stopped his cries to shift the mood, “I’ll also never put you in a place where you feel like you need to slap someone. You have nothing to apologize for, love.”

She processed his response and realized he was right. This small bump in the road was patched. It was time to let go and move forward.

A day that had started near their ending was now a day that they were committing to their promise of never losing each other.

El dragged Mike back onto the bed so that he was now laying his weight on top of her small frame. She soaked in how amazing it felt to have him here and leaned in for a kiss, but stopped right before his eager lips.

“I love you and I can’t wait to spend forever together.”

Mike felt his eyes become glassy once again before saying, “I love you, Mrs. Future Wheeler.”

The newly engaged couple was just about to lose themselves in a night full of passion, but then something overpowered El’s thoughts.

She quickly scrambled from bed and sprinted out of the bedroom while shouting, “lets resume this celebration in five minutes after I tell Max not to murder you before I can even marry you!”  
———————————  
Eleven was ripped out of the memory of their messy engagement day when she felt something brush against her cheek.

The sensation of her husband’s lips kissing away the tears that had escaped from her eyes brought her back to where they currently were.

“El, you are not a monster. That day three years ago I was the monster that made you feel like you couldn’t trust me, but that’s in the past. It doesn’t matter if some lady we literally never see is mildly frightened by us. All that matters is that we are happily together.”

She felt the guilt remove itself from the pit of her stomach and collected herself before laying a hand against her husband’s cheek and said, “well, you’re not a monster either. And you know what, even though that lady is kind of irrelevant, I’m happy she brought you my ring. I wouldn’t change a thing about the way we got engaged. I love you.”

Then, in the middle of the parking lot, the married couple exchanged a kiss that tasted of several sweet flavors. Mike broke away from her lips and began laughing at how unreal this life was. 

Here he was with the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen and somehow, he has the honor to call that woman his wife.

“I love you, Mrs. Wheeler”, he said as he pulled her into a tight hug.

Just as the two’s body’s pressed against one another, they felt a foreign sensation. The two pulled back and shared confused glances, but then the reality of the situation hit them both like lightening. 

“Oh! Oh my god! She just kicked. Our little girl kicked”, Mike screamed before lowering himself down.

He felt tears of joy cloud his vision as he began kissing his wife’s stomach and promising his child sweet nothings. Just as he was pulling away, he felt her kick again, but this time it was against his hand.

He cackled before looking up at his wife, “turns out she’s got a kick as powerful as your slaps. I guess she’s letting us know she was thankful for today’s ice cream adventure.”

When they had finished basking in this unforgettable moment, Mike stood himself back up and saw that a stray hair had fallen from El’s pony tail before gently brushing it behind her ear. It was then that their eyes met and they relayed a mutual look.

“What do you say I get my wife and baby back home where we can relax and celebrate her first kick?”

El eagerly nodded her head and pulled her husband towards their car.

They reconnected their hands and had almost reached the car when Mike felt a strong tug on his hand. He glanced down and saw her familiar shy smile return.

“Can we buy another ice cream sundae for later?”, she hesitantly asked.

Mike’s heart swelled over the adorable woman in front of him. He couldn’t stop the strongly felt words from leaving his mouth.

“I’ll get you anything you want because you have already given me everything I could have ever asked for in this life.”

Eleven’s eyes began to water again before she said, “just the ice cream will do for now, love.”

Each day the two were reminded that everything they have been through is what allowed them to get here. To where they continue living through moments that will stick with them forever.

They would never change a thing about their story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was kind of messy because I am truly horrible at writing about cheating/untrustworthy things when it comes to Mileven, but I tried my best!  
> Also, just wanted to mention that I recently received a new internship, (which I’m very happy about, it’s the position of my dreams and I cannot wait to meet with a new population of clients), so expect to only see me updating once a week due to that!  
> Reminder that I appreciate you all so much and hope you’ll continue reading!  
> Sending well wishes!


	4. Stirred Up Ruckus (1992)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party convinces the newly engaged couple to come out for a celebration. There’s karaoke, drinks, and an unexpected fight. What more could you ask for?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I know I said expect once a week updates, but here I am. Hello. This one was written to fulfill a lovely reader of mine, Lizzy’s, request of seeing a guy hitting on El and not accepting no as an answer. Have no fear, Mike is near. This was definitely another challenge for me to tackle, but Lizzy, if you’re still reading, thank you so much for requesting! I hope you enjoy!

It was the most wonderful time of the year. There was graceful snowfalls that occurred almost more than one could tolerate. It was simply the right time to spend nights holed up in a warm space where one could watch the freezing bliss in peace.

Yet, Mike and Eleven found themselves venturing out into the beautiful mess. They had themselves a hectic semester. Between El’s internship and Mike’s overbooked class schedule, they failed to have time to do what other college students were doing. Most of their free time was devoted to them simply embracing one another. But now they are on their holiday break and it only seems right that they attempt to blend with people their age.

The newly engaged couple had just successfully walked into town. The walk that was usually just five minutes took nearly half an hour due to the ice that was laid upon the walkways. 

Although the conditions were not ideal, they made the best out of it. Mike looked like a baby giraffe trying to walk across sheets of black ice which was all El needed to see to giggle. Since he loved to hear her musical laughter, he didn’t care that she was chuckling at his expense.

Just as they were walking into the tavern bar, both of them felt a wave of regret. Neither were willing to voice the distain they felt about being out because they had believed this was what the other wanted to do.

Soon they would regret not following their personal guts and staying cuddled up at home where they belonged.

They laced their fingers together as they entered the unfamiliarly loud atmosphere. Their eyes began scanning the room hoping to see the people that had requested their presence.

Mike’s eyebrows furrowed as he brought his mouth to his fiancée’s ear so that she could hear him over the loud music, “where are they? They said they would be here at 8.”

El was still concentrated on searching out for them when she suddenly yanked hard on his hand. 

“I see red hair next to a man in a camouflage bandanna sitting with about five glasses of beer in front of them. You and I both know that has to be them,” she said surely.

Once they finally reached their potential suspects, El was proven to be incredibly spot on. Max and Lucas had pretty much demanded they join them. They wanted to get drinks for their friends to celebrate their recent engagement. What harm could possibly come from that?

“What’s up soon to be Wheelers?”, came Max’s voice.

Mike shrugged his shoulders before helping El take off her jacket. Once the two found their seats they soaked in the fact that it was just the four of them. Where were the two other honorary members?

Just as El was going to ask, Lucas seemed to get their confusion, “if you’re looking for Will Byers, bathroom. If you’re looking for Dustin Henderson, then wait maybe one more minute,” he spoke with humor laced in his voice.

Right then, the karaoke’s songs switched and a familiar voice came from the stage. This peaked the table’s interests and sent all sets of eyes towards the same direction.

As soon as Dustin started singing, ‘you put the boom boom into my heart’, Mike and Lucas shared an excessive eye roll before it was interrupted by their ladies’ squealing laughter.

Max and Eleven shared a look before shooting out of their seats and essentially running themselves to stand right in front of the stage. It should be a party rule that every member supports each other during public humiliation, especially if it involves singing Wham! It was only right for the girls to dance like fools and cheer on their lovable friend’s performance.

Dustin had just wrapped up his song before he stated, “ladies, ladies, please. Relax. There’s enough of me to go around,” then he dropped the mic and swung both of his arms around his female friend’s shoulders. The trio returned back to the table where El finally saw her brother.

“Will!”, she shouted before dragging him into a hug.

This had been the first time the two of them were seeing each other since her engagement. She informed him of the news over the phone, but it wasn’t the same. She could tell that her brother was sending her warmth and happiness through the hug as his form of congratulations.

“I’m so happy for you, El. You two were made for each other,” he said after their hug had been broken apart.

Eleven felt her eyes water from his sentimental words, but her tears were repressed when Max ended the moment.

“Hey! Nope! No to the sentimental words! We are at a bar celebrating the engagement and that means we need to start drinking!”, she declared.

El was about to protest when she felt Mike shift himself closer to her. He brought her back to her seat that was along side of his before whispering, “you don’t need to drink if you don’t want to. Don’t feel pressured.”

As a response she pressed her lips to his. What she thought was going to be a quick peck soon started to spark. She felt his lips begin to part and felt heat wash over her when a body came between them.

“Hey guys. Just wanted to say congratulations. So happy for you, but would be happier if you saved the making out and baby making for like.. not now? Just my preference,” said Dustin as he dropped drinks in front of the two.

The couple thought they were going to get a second to collect themselves, but then Lucas said, “drink up, Ellie. You and Max are next in karaoke,” followed by a wink.

El quickly downed whatever harsh liquid was placed in the glass in front of her, but found she needed one more boost of confidence.

“I need a shot!”, she yelled out.

Her request was serviced immediately and she felt herself become a bit more bubbly. She was quite a light weight, but she wasn’t drunk. Just pleasantly buzzed.

Before she got a chance to bask in her tipsy state, she heard her and Max’s names called from the stage. She quickly placed a kiss on her fiancé’s cheek and said, “wish me luck, baby,” then strutted off.

The man running karaoke asked the two what they had picked when Max suddenly answered for them both, “Madonna. Like a Virgin,” then she turned to El and said, “just like old times when we performed it at sleepovers. Do you remember the dance we had to it?”

Max’s grin widened as she watched her friend nod her head. “Shall we then?”

To say the very least, the two of them ended up putting on a legitimate show. They found that their cheesy choreographed moves still worked well and made them look like giddy little girls.

Lucas and Mike’s jaws had dropped when watching the sight before them. Almost like they were hypnotized, they found themselves drifting closer to the angels before them. The girls recognized what they were doing to their guys, and they couldn’t wait to tease them about it later. 

When they finished, almost the entire bar clapped for them. The two were navigating their way through the crowd that had formed when El felt a hand placed against her hip.

“Hey, I’m Thom. I just wanted to say you have a really nice voice,” he said earnestly. He looked to be maybe a year older and appeared completely harmless.

El quickly said a thank you to him before she briskly walked away. Suddenly she felt a liquid make it’s way down the front of her chest followed by a deep voice apologizing.

She was getting closer to the table when another arm reached out and touched her waist. Except this time, she recognized the touch immediately.

“You were incredible up there, babe,” Mike said while grinning.

He was leaning in to lock his lips to her’s when he smelt the overwhelming aroma of beer. He pulled back and saw that her top was damply pressed to her.

She could tell that he was about to get annoyed and overprotective, so she quickly said, “some guy accidentally spilled it on me on my way back to you. I’m gonna go wash up in the bathroom, I’ll be right back.”

El was already walking away when Mike grabbed onto her hand. She looked up at him confusedly and was about to question him when he beat her to it.

“Do you want me to come with you? I don’t mind,” he asked with concern.

She began shaking her head before replying, “I’ll be okay. I shouldn’t be more than five minutes, I promise.”

He nodded his head and watched as she walked away. He couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming amount of dread as a negative sensation wiped through his system. He tried to ignore it by convincing himself that she would be right back. She would be okay, she promised.

After five minutes, he turned to the party and said, “she’s been gone for five minutes. It feels weird, like something is off.”

Will was about to assure him that everything was going to be okay, but Lucas was quicker at responding.

“If you feel like something is wrong, there’s no harm in checking on her. So, go. We’ll be here,” he finished saying and clapped his friend on the back.

That confirmation was all Mike needed to rush to the restrooms.

Meanwhile, it was during those five minutes that Mike spent agonizing that El had found herself in an unfavorable situation. The guy that spilled the drink on her was near the women’s bathroom door. She was confused, but attempted to walk right by the man.

“Hey, I’m sorry for earlier. I really didn’t mean to do that. I just got caught off guard when you walked by. I can give you money for the shirt, I’m sorry,” he dragged the lengthy apology out.

El furrowed her eyebrows and said, “it’s really okay. These things happen.”

It was in that moment that she noticed he had looked behind her. She watched as he quickly excused himself and evacuated from the scene. It seemed strange, almost as if his apology was some sort of setup.

She was a step away from pushing open the bathroom door when someone pulled her flush up against their body.

Her blood ran cold when she recognized that it was not the comforting form of her fiancé. Without even turning to see if it was someone else she knew, she dropped the heal of her boot onto the person’s foot before elbowing them in the throat.

Once she was released she turned herself around and saw that behind her, now clutching at his foot and neck, was the man that had complimented her singing. 

She went to dart back down the small hallway to re-enter the crowded bar when she felt herself being yanked by her hair. The force was strong enough to pull her small frame to the sticky ground.

The man dragged her back to her feet and snarled out, “remember me? Thom? Yeah, your voice is beautiful. Not as beautiful as that body though. My buddy got beer all over you, such a shame. And now I’m here to help.”

She was almost distracted by the scent of alcohol that was radiating from his breath. Yet, his words had struck her core. She felt fury charging through her veins. 

This weak and pathetic man had no idea how wrong he was to do this to any human being, but he truly had no idea the mistake he made when preying upon this specific woman.

Before Eleven allowed herself to perform a power driven choke hold on him, she recalled how far she had come. How well she had hidden. If she used her powers too obviously in this moment, there’s a change she would have to go into hiding again. That would mean Mike would have to hide with her. It was unfair. Their lives had progressed too far for this man to ruin it all.

So, rather than taking him down easily, she focused on remembering the self defense moves Hopper taught her during their stay in the cabin.

El had just successfully kicked his groin when she made the move to strike his nose. However, before she could reach his face, Thom’s hand forcefully caught her wrist.

“Look, don’t fight. Let’s just make this easy,” he evilly spoke.

She was just about to use her remaining strength to kick and claw at this man in anyway possible, but there was a sudden punch laid onto the side of the man’s face that sent him immediately to the ground.

Thom never got the chance to stand himself back up because he had already received a swift kick to the gut.

Mike was about to get lost in attacking the person that just had his fiancée pinned up against a corner when he felt himself being dragged away. He looked to the person that took him away and noticed that it was El. He could see her lips moving, but he couldn’t hear over the adrenaline that was rushing in his ears.

He hasn’t felt that level of aggression since the time he attempted to beat Hopper up for keeping his love from him for three hundred and fifty three days.

He was about to go back and continue pummeling that guy until he no longer had the courtesy of seeing the light of day again, but that was when he felt her hands press themselves to his face.

“Look at me! I’m okay. You saved me. I’m okay. He is not worth it,” she pleaded.

Mike was still internally fighting the urge to go back there and wreck this guy before El cut through his thoughts again, “look,” she directed his glance back at the man that had attacked her. He was now bloody and asleep as a cop cuffed his hands together, “the party has got it covered. Max knocked him out while Dustin got help. He won’t be getting away with hurting any of us. I promise.”

Eleven watched as he absorbed this information and saw the anger visibly leave his body. Suddenly his posture slumped and he began to shake. 

“I-I.. what if I hadn’t gotten there? I knew I should have went with you. I just should have been there. This should have never happened. I—“, he was about to continue placing the blame on himself when he was cut off by El’s soft lips.

She pulled back and locked eyes with him, “this is not your fault. You protected me. I am safe. Now, let’s say goodnight to the party, okay? Take me home.”

As it turns out, the whole party left with them. Will being the crafty and thoughtful person he was had gotten two small ziplock bags of ice from the bar on their way out. One was used to press against Mike’s bruising fist and the other was for the vivid fingerprints that were stained on El’s wrist.

Luckily, Lucas had driven to the bar, so he was able to take everyone home. They pulled up to the engaged couple’s apartment building first and they all got out to share a group hug. The party members had apologized in several different ways for how this night had played out.

“I really am sorry guys. We just wanted this to be a fun night to celebrate the engagement. Can we have a do over? Except this time let’s just order pizzas and watch movies?”, the Ranger pleaded.

El was quick to bring Lucas into a hug of their own before saying, “it’s none of our fault’s that this happened. It’s okay, Lucas. But yes, movie night with pizza is definitely happening.”

Then she was pulled into a hug by her brother and Max.

“I put him to sleep, El. He won’t bother you or any other girl again. Party members don’t let other party members down,” her friend was about to continue talking when Will cut her off.

“Moral of the story, everyone is safe. Go inside and get warm, okay? We love you.”

Mike and El watched as the party piled themselves into the car again before wishing them safe travels. Just as the car disappeared from their view, they saw Dustin’s curly head hang out the window and shout, “love you! Kiss each other night for me!”

The couple shook their heads at the parting antics before El led them upstairs. As soon as they got inside, Mike casually drifted into their bedroom. He still had not spoken much since the incident and she was beginning to worry.

She slowly followed him and watched as he sat himself down on the bed. Eleven had just changed into her fiancé’s Led Zeppelin T-shirt when his voice caught her attention.

“I’m so sorry for letting that guy lay a hand on you. I never want you to be in danger like that again. I should have been there sooner,” he muttered.

El was fast to move across the room and stopped when she was standing in front of him. She grabbed a hold of his face, but could tell he was still lost in his self deprecating thoughts. She daintily straddled herself on his lap to assure she got his attention. Once their eyes were at the same level, she pressed her chest against his and felt as their heartbeats synchronized.

“You were there for me tonight. If you hadn’t showed up when you did, it would have resulted into something bad. But all of the ‘what ifs’ don’t matter. You were there. You saved me. Don’t you see that? You. Save. Me,” she emphasized.

She felt his forehead press up against her’s and watched as a tear escaped his brown eyes. She started threading her fingers through his disheveled curls and felt as his body relaxed.

“I will never let something like that happen to you again. Nobody will ever approach you like that when I am around. I made a promise to myself to always keep you safe, and I will never break that promise,” he vowed intensely.

She slowly nodded her head against his and replied, “I promise to always keep you safe too. We protect each other, it’s what you and I do.”

El then felt her body being shifted onto the bed completely. She found herself comfortably placed on her back as Mike wrapped his arms around her waist.

She could tell he was exhausted, but before he settled in, she realized his shirt smelled of beer and other gross bar items, so she breezily removed it for him using her powers. She was going to grab him a clean shirt when he said her name.

He was looking at her innocently and said, “can I just hold you for the rest of the night? I need cuddles. Just need to feel you here.”

She felt herself soften at his gentle tone and his kind request. A few tears fell from her eyes before she quickly said, “of course, love.”

Mike kissed away her tears and asked, “are you okay? Do you want to talk about what happened?”

Again, she shook her head no before saying, “I defended myself and held him off long enough until you could get there. I even did all of that without my powers. It was scary, but we are both okay and basically walked away without any harm being done. So, I am really okay,” she spoke clearly.

Mike nodded and placed his head on her chest. He remained quiet as his fiancée began drawing shapes on his bare back.

El had thought he had already drifted to sleep when she suddenly heard his sleepy voice crack.

“I will always keep you safe. I love you.”

She responded by pressing a kiss to his head and said, “I love you too.”

The rest of the night was spent in that same embrace. His head pressed against her chest so that he could feel the rise and fall of each breath she took.

It was moments like these that reminded the two that together they were nearly invincible. Nothing could take them away from each other. They were always going to protect one another with all of the strength they could muster.

Their love could never be touched or broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say I hope everyone is doing well. I appreciate all of you very much. Sweet dreams! (or good morning/afternoon depending on where all of your lovely souls are located!)


	5. September Song (1995)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haunting memories resurface and disrupt a peaceful night. El’s powers are placed on edge and end up being used against the one she loves most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my sweetest readers, Ohanae, had requested seeing El use her powers against Mike during an argument which ends up being the first big hardship of her pregnancy. After struggling with creating an argument, I ended up reworking it slightly to be that El relives some of her trauma and accidentally uses her powers on Mike. I assure this is an angst filled chapter that still has plenty of fluff, but I just failed to pull off the creation of the argument part. I’m sorry if I’ve let you down, Ohanae. In the future, if you’d like me to try it again, I would be more than happy to. I hope this is okay for now!

El had been soundly asleep when she abruptly awoke from her slumber. She was disoriented, yet was slowly collecting what had woken her up.

Nightmares were cruel to her because they simply replayed real memories. The memories of her time being a prisoner against her own will. Locked away in solidarity and surrounded by white walls.

Just recalling that setting was enough to set her into a spiral of paranoia.

She desperately attempted to focus on her husband who was pressed against her back. If she could just listen to the sounds of his breathing, then surely she would find peace once again.

Yet, she couldn’t stop her eyes from roaming across the dark room. 

Her mind was playing tricks on her and making her believe she was somewhere unsafe. She even began making herself believe that there was a gray haired man standing in their doorway, watching her. Waiting for her.

El had to get herself away from here, but she didn’t want to disrupt her husband’s sleep. After she slowly detached from Mike’s grip, she softly padded her way into the kitchen.

She was searching for comfort food when she suddenly felt a sharp jab delivered by her little girl’s foot. Eleven was now seven and a half months along and was impatiently counting down the days they had left until she could meet their child.

Just when she reached up to grab the jar of peanut butter, she swore she heard a cold voice say her numerical name.

She turned and saw the silhouette of the man she had once called papa. As his image stepped closer to her, she felt another swift kick from her child. 

Eleven raised her hand, prepared to launch her powers at full life threatening speed.

She started slowly, sending the figure’s body backwards and pressing them tightly to the opposing wall. She was ready to take away his ability to breathe when her child’s kicking became insistent.

El released her powers to hold onto her stomach, but before she could comfort her little girl, she heard a thud.

It wasn’t a nightmare that had haunted her reality. It wasn’t her imagination either. Her eyes had just focused on the figure when she heard his voice clearly.

“Baby, it’s me. It’s Mike. I woke up when I felt that you weren’t next to me and I didn’t know how scared you were, but it’s okay. I just fell when you let me go. I’m clumsy, you know? Let me come over there to you, okay?”, he pleaded.

That was when El realized just what had happened.

She allowed her pain to fester. She nearly lost control. Her past taunted her mind enough that she nearly hurt her own husband. The man that had saved her in more ways than one. Their baby’s kicks must have been intentional in order to stop her from hurting him. To stop her from being a monster.

It was then that the last strand of El’s strength broke and her devastation was released. Her cries were became brutally raw as they placed pains in her chest. 

Mike attempted to rush over to her, to coddle her through her breakdown, but he was quickly halted. He knew his wife was feeling tormented for just having used her powers against him. However, he didn’t care. Alls he cared about was making sure she was okay.

He knew that she was now using her powers deliberately to securely hold him in place at a distance from her, yet he still tried to break freely.

“El, look at me. I’m okay. You were scared and alls you did was hold me to the wall. Everything is fine. Just let me help you. Alls you have to do is let go”, he spoke calmly in hopes of her stopping this.

Eleven’s cries continued as she pointed towards her chest and responded, “could’ve killed you. All these years and I have never truly used my powers on you. I was going to stop you from breathing”, she nearly fell over from the emotions that were rocking through her system before she continued, “I’m no good for you or this baby. I have to go. I can’t be here.”

Mike could feel his body straining in agony at her words as he relentlessly tried to reach her.

“You didn’t do anything that wasn’t understandable. Look at me, El. You’re my wife. You’re the best thing I’ll ever have in this world and you’re going to be the best mother to our child. We promised for better or worse, and I’m not letting you go. Now let go of me. Let me help you like you’ve helped me,” his words delivered themselves past the cries that were beginning to bubble in his throat.

Mike could hear that her breathing was becoming extremely erratic and he began to worry that she was going to hurt herself. If anything happened to her or their baby, he would never be able to survive.

It was then that he noticed her face. That face that he got to fall in love with everyday. Looking to her had always made him find comfort, but now, it was only making him panic more.

A deep red liquid was now thickly falling from her nose and ears. Her honey brown eyes slowly turning a harsh shade of pink due to the blood vessels that were popping. Mike knew that her emotional strain mixed with her powers was producing a recipe for danger. But he didn’t care about himself, he just wanted to keep her and the baby from harms way. He needed to act quickly.

“Hey, babe, look at me. We are okay. All three of us are perfectly fine. I need you to let me help you now just like you’ve helped me. Remember the time I tried pushing you away because my dad had made me feel useless? You didn’t let me push you away because you were stubborn and determined to help see me through that mess. Please, El, please let me do the same. Let me hold you, I can help you”, he finished and felt the tears fall from his eyes down to the floor beneath him.

He watched as she searched around, looking for something. And he saw the look on her face that meant she had found what that was.

El’s golden eyes met his before she said, “I never deserved this life. You deserve to have a normal wife that can help you raise a child normally.. not some monster that almost hurt you.”

After she finished talking she quickly dashed towards the apartment door that would safely lead her away from causing more pain. Away from the possibility of hurting her love. She was reaching for the door when she was frozen by a booming voice.

“No! You’re not going anywhere! El, stop! This is the only thing you could do that would actually hurt me and this would let the bad men win. Don’t leave me”, he cried out and tried yanking himself towards the front of the apartment. He looked desperate as he thrashed in place, desperate to stop her from leaving.

Although she still felt like she should flee, she knew Mike was right. She wasn’t in her right mind. She could not let her past harm her future anymore. Her toxic thoughts could be put to rest once she gave into seeking out comfort from the only one that could fix her.

She made up her mind and was almost back into the kitchen. Mike was just barely within her reach when she felt herself become lightheaded.

In that moment, she worried for him. It was the first time she soaked in the idea of something happening to her. She knew her husband and knew he would never be the same. Then she worried for the baby. This baby that would be great simply because it was a piece of her beloved life partner.

“El, are you okay?”, he worriedly questioned.

However, she was unable to answer. Too focused on remaining conscious to find her voice to explain that something felt off.

His voice broke through again, “babe, I need you to let me go so you can tell me what’s wrong.”

El looked up at him through blurred vision and felt herself slipping away towards darkness. If everything was ending over the events that had unfolded, then she needed to say one last thing before she was gone.

“I love you. More than anything. I— take care of our baby”, as she abruptly finished her statement she felt her eyes roll backward as she met with the dark.

Watching the scene unfold before Mike was enough for him to channel a deeper power locked within himself.

His wife looked like she was falling to the floor in slow motion during the same moment his body had broken through her invisible grip. El’s body never clattered to the floor. Instead, her motionless form was resting in her husband’s embrace.

Mike rushed her back to bed before shaking her lightly, trying to rouse her from this spell. He needed her to wake up, to be here. 

He brought his head down to her chest and discovered her heart was still beating, just as strongly as it normally did.

After assuring her life was not leaving her body anytime remotely soon, he lowered himself to her stomach. He gently placed his palms against the bump and began talking to his daughter. 

“Hey baby girl, it’s daddy. I know that this night has been restless, but your mommy and I need you. Mommy is so strong, stronger than anyone I know. Right now she’s really tired and scared. I think if she knew you were okay she would start feeling much better. If you can kick to let me and her know you’re still just as strong as your mom, that would make me the happiest dad ever.”

Mike left his hands plastered there waiting for something, anything. A couple of minutes passed and still nothing happened. No sign of El waking from the void that had taken her. No signs of the baby moving. 

He was just about to go call for help when he saw his wife’s golden brown eyes. It was a second after she woke up that their baby girl kicked a few times. Almost as if she was spelling out in morse code, ‘hello we’re okay. We’re still here’.

After the parents both felt their little girl kick, the tension cleared out a bit. Mike was about to speak sweet nothings to his wife when he heard a whining noise escape from her. 

“Mike.. I’m so sorry for scaring you. And for using my powers. And for having these flashbacks. None of this was fair to you. I would never leave you because I’m too selfish and couldn’t let you go. I’m sorry”, she cried out.

He was quick to bring her into his chest and began to softly comb his fingers through her hair. He took the time to memorize the feel of the curls pass between each of his fingers.

Once her cries subsided, he took the opportunity to speak, “El, your powers did not hurt me. What you did was a normal reaction. I should not have snuck up on you when I could tell something was off. But baby.. you can’t leave me. If something like this were to ever happen again, we will get through it together. I need you. And this little girl will need you too. We are a family and we stick together.”

He felt as his wife pull herself out from his chest before she cried out once again.

“Oh my god! I stained your favorite Han Solo T-shirt with my stupid blood! I hate myself I can’t believe I did this”, she said as she attempted to scratch the blood off of his shirt with her hands.

“Hey! Look at me”, came Mike’s voice as he gently grabbed her hands and stopped them from moving, “I don’t care about the shirt. All I care about is that we are okay. El, you just.. you just almost left. I couldn’t stop you and you fainted.. I thought you were both going to be gone”, he had to stop talking due to the sobs that were now racking his body.

The reality of what almost happened overcame him and he barely noticed as El swung her leg over his thighs to straddle him. She couldn’t reach down to him due to her pregnant belly, so she dragged his face up to her’s.

She placed a hand on his cheek and wiped away the tears before consoling him softly.

“I know I used my powers on you and it’s going to take time to forgive myself. But I would never actually leave you. I will be beside you until I’m old and saggy. And we will watch this little girl grow up together”, she vowed.

Mike’s sobs hitched as he found his voice, “promise? Promise me you’re not going to leave me, even if I go bald and wrinkly?”

El’s familiar dimples exposed themselves as she giggled at his statement. He felt relief wash over him from the sight and sounds that were a signature of his wife. 

He watched her as she began nodding and she said, “promise. I always promise. I’m sorry I scared you, I just didn’t want to bother your sleep to deal with this mess.”

Mike quickly shook his head. He would not let her feel sorry for this. How she handled her past was not something she should ever feel sorry about, but he needed her to know that he would be there to help.

“Don’t apologize. Just, if this ever happens again, I need you to wake me up. You know that I’ve been here to help before and you know it’s something I don’t mind doing, ever. I am here and I am not going anywhere, okay?”

El responded by leaning in to press kisses all over his face. This action caused him to giggle and squirm beneath her as her pecks continued to tickle his skin.

She pulled back to laugh, but her chuckles died fast. She looked as if she had seen something horrid, so Mike’s worries quickly returned. 

“What’s wrong, babe?”

She responded by quickly getting up to retrieve a damp wash rag. When she returned back to bed, she held it up to her husband.

“I guess the blood on my face kinda transferred over to you a bit during those sweet kisses, so, I’ll clean you up if you’ll clean me up?”, she questioned shyly.

Mike felt relieved again and began to laugh, “that sounds horrific. Here, let’s help each other out.”

Later that night the couple had made themselves comfortable once again. They resumed the position they had been in just before all hell had broken loose. Mike’s front was pressed firmly against El’s back as his long fingers traced patterns on her stomach. The feel of their legs intertwined provided them with a feeling that was close to bliss.

El was drifting to sleep when she felt him nestle his face further into the comfort of her neck when suddenly another kick rattled them both. 

Mike groaned before saying, “we’re never going to sleep again.. are we? Not just tonight, I mean once she arrives sleep is going to be permanently cancelled.”

She softly smiled in return and replied, “I will gladly stay awake with you for the rest of eternity. Besides, you look cute when you’re sleepy.”

Just as predicted, the night ended without any more rest occurring. But there was lots of love shared as the soon to be parents continued to fawn over just how much they already loved their little girl. 

Regardless of the hardships they faced, they would always be together to watch as the sun replaced the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now I will officially be off of here for the next few days, but will update within a week! As always, please feel free to leave comments or requests.   
> I hope you all have a great weekend filled with good foods and nice company! (:


	6. Watch out for the Boogeyman (1995)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mischief night of 1995 surely lived up to its name for Mike and Eleven. A new spirit seems to provide the couple with a thrilling experience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not my best work, but it’s something I quickly wrote because I am in need of Halloween and fall weather. Oh, and I also just wanted to write about the birth of their daughter. It’s a fluffy mess. Enjoy!

It was the finally the last week of October. Everything had turned to soft colors and cozy temperatures, but there was something tense resting within the air. It seemed that the underlining stress was radiating from the Wheeler's apartment.

El was now about two weeks away from her due date and both her and Mike were ready to welcome their first daughter. They had already prepared themselves by assuring they owned every single possible thing they could need to take care of a living infant.

However, the approaching birth made Eleven's emotions run haywire. Her pregnant belly was so large that it got in the way of accomplishing daily tasks and created a slight waddle in her steps.

It was frustrating that she could no longer handle minuscule things on her own without asking someone for help. Luckily she had a husband that would do anything for her.

"Mike, I really need help here please," she pleaded from her spot in the bathroom.

When Mike made it to her location, it took nearly every ounce of his strength not to laugh at her.

She huffed out a breath when she saw his facial expression before saying, "I don't care if you laugh at me as long as you help me out here."

After being given permission, he nearly combusted on the spot. Looking at El covered in shaving cream was all the comic relief he needed. She looked like a pubescent child that desperately wanted to be old enough to experience the wonders of shaving.

She cut through his cackles and said, "laughter is over. There will be no joy until you shave my Chewbacca looking legs since you are part of the reason I'm incapable of shaving them myself."

Mike watched as she crossed her arms and appeared to be visibly frustrated. He moved so that he was pressed to her side and began rubbing her shoulders.

"Baby, it's okay. Of course I'll help you out. You don't need to shave your legs, but if it'll make you feel better, then let's do it," he said before pulling her into his arms.

He felt her lips leave a chilling peck against his neck before she muttered, "they are so hairy that it's itchy. I don't understand how you live like this."

Mike had just kissed the top of her head when he felt her abruptly pull away.

"Well, get to work Mr. Wheeler," she said sternly and placed the razor into his hands.

That was how the Wheelers had spent the afternoon before Halloween. El was filled with blissful relief and Mike was pleased to see her content. Little did they know their night would be filled with the terrors of a new giddy ghoul. 

—————————

A few hours after the sun had set, Mike and Eleven found themselves settling in for a scary movie marathon. 

Throughout the years, Mike's tolerance for horror had depleted. They had been through enough terrifying adventures that fictional horrors seemed unnecessary. But El had claimed that seeing as it was the night before Halloween, everyone was entitled to one good scare.

She had just found a comfortable position on the couch when she felt an arm wrap around her securely. She quickly allowed herself to drift into the comforting warm embrace.

El perched her head on Mike's shoulder and said, "ready to commence the scary movies?"

He sighed before saying, "anything for you, babe."

They had just finished up the first movie of the night and were moving on to Halloween when a strong pain numbed El's lower back. She shrugged it off seeing as she's been experiencing painful jabs more often now that the due date was closer. Plus, she knew if she mentioned anything regarding pain that her husband would panic and call in the national guard.

She was focusing on repressing her pain when the Michael Myers theme music began to echo off the walls. In that moment, an overwhelming sensation rocked through her body. While attempting to bite back a whimper, she slowly released a ragged deep breath.

Mike's ears picked up on her uneasiness which made him look down at her before questioning, "are you feeling okay? We can turn off the movie and lay down if you're uncomfortable."

El was quick to shake her head and placed a reassuring kiss on his pouty lips before placing her head back in the crook of his neck.

She was trying to breathe as calmly as possible, but this pain was not familiar. It was too unpredictable and went beyond any kind of cramps mother nature had made her face prior. 

"I'm going to run to the bathroom really quick," she said softly as she rolled off the couch.

Eleven was barely out of the living room when she felt a minor pop from beneath her bump. She took another step and felt a slow trickle of fluid releasing itself from between her thighs. 

"Oh..ok, that just happened," she whispered when she realized the gravity of this situation.

In her head, she began scolding herself for not recognizing that these were the real deal. Braxton Hicks long gone. She needed a moment to collect herself, but her chance was short lived.

"Hey, you okay?", came Mike's voice from behind her.

She realized she had no time left to gather a gentle way to tell him what was happening. She just hoped he wouldn't panic too gravely because time was out. Ready or not, here she comes. She turned to face him and allowed the words to flow unceremoniously from her mouth.

"I've been having contractions for a bit, but I kinda ignored it because we're still two weeks from the due date. Tonight they were pretty bad and the long story short is my water broke about a minute ago. So I'm currently in labor. Funny, right?", she finished with a nervous chuckle.

El watched as Mike's eyes widened humorously. She would have laughed at the facial expression he was sporting, but his shrill voice broke through first.

"I knew pregnant people shouldn't watch scary movies! We scared the baby! Now she's coming!", his voice cracked before he continued, "oh my god, this is real. You're in labor and we're going to meet our girl! I love you."

He quickly placed himself in front of her and leaned down before catching her lips heatedly. His mouth began to part desperately as he channeled his love through a kiss. Their romantic moment ended shortly after it had started when El pulled away with a yelp.

She furrowed her eyebrows and spoke hazardously, "I love you too, but I'm really in labor babe so can please we go?"

Mike helped her walk down the flights of stairs and was guiding her towards the car when they were suddenly stopped by some familiar faces.

"Surprise! We were just heading up because we wanted to stop in and give you guys a basket of snacks for Halloween. I figured it would help with your cravings, sweetie", came Joyce's voice.

While she had been explaining the reason for their visit, Hopper was focused on analyzing his daughter's appearance. Her brows were pinched and her shoulders were oddly slouched.

"Holy shi—", Hop was silenced when El's voice came out clearly.

"Perfect timing because I'm in labor. Will you guys please come with us? I really want you both to be there and I can have the snack basket as my reward when she's here," she tentatively spoke.

Eleven watched as her father's eyes glisteningly crowded. He worked fast to blink the tears from his vision before speaking through his emotion, "let's do this."

Just as her father reached the drivers side door, Joyce stealthily yanked the keys from his grip and turned towards the girl she helped raise.

"I'm going to drive us there, Ellie. I know neither of these men can get us there without crying. I'll get my little girl there safely," she finished her statement with a wink.

The car ride was a blur. Mike spent the duration of the time running his fingers gingerly through his wife's knotted hair while Hopper busied himself by nervously playing with Joyce's right hand. Both men appearing too fidgety to function.

El was trying to repress the orchestrated feelings that were happening from deep within her. Her veins were running cold and she felt sweat gather towards the back of her head.

Luckily, they had gotten there faster than expected. Joyce had handled the situation with expertise unlike the most important men in her life.

Everything seemed to happen in a haze once they entered the hospital. Eleven was pleasantly distracted from her pain as she watched the medical staff prep her room.

A short amount of time later she found herself crunching on ice chips and thriving through her contractions. She was just settling in when she felt the overwhelming sense of being watched.

There, squished beside her on the tiny bed, was her husband. Upon further examination, she noticed his dark eyes were glistening and his lip was starting to wobble.

He was silently full on crying and she could not have felt more confused. She was going to question him when he suddenly said, "I don't want this to hurt you. I don't want you to feel pain. I wish I could do this for us because you've already gone through enough."

She was not about to allow him to cry any more. At least not any sorrowful crying. This was about to be a loved filled occurrence and no amount of pain would change that. She grabbed his cheeks and pressed his forehead to hers to make sure she had his undivided attention.

"Hey, look at me. I have endured a lot. And you have too. But this pain is going to be temporary and it is going to be worth it. So do not focus on the pain I'm in. I am strong and I can do this. I know I can because you have told me so countless times. Be happy. You're about to meet your new favorite girl. We're about to meet our daughter," her statement ended with a watery laugh.

El had come so far. She had never thought she could know such love and devotion until she had met her husband. The man that she called her home. And beyond that, she was learning to accept her worth. She deserved this life. She will be the best mother and will assure that her child knows how loved they are each day. El was just finishing reflecting upon her growth when her husband began to talk once more.

"I am so proud of you. You're already the best mom. You're going to do great and I will be right here. You can even break my hand if the pain gets too bad. Regardless, I will be here. I promise," he finished his statement and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead.

He was removing his lips from her skin when a gruff voice came from the foot of the bed, "I just wanted to say I'm proud of you both. I have always done everything I could to protect you two. Joyce and I will be here if you need us. Can't wait to meet my granddaughter."

Hopper cried with grace and allowed the tears to soak through his beard. His openness and the words he had just spoken left the couple in a puddle of tears as well.

"I love you, dad. Thank you for always taking care of me," said El before she dragged her old man into a strong hug.

The father and daughter's embrace had just ended when the police chief felt himself be tugged into another familiar hold. 

He could feel his son in law shaking as he whispered, "I can't thank you enough. I love her. And I love having you in my family. Couldn't ask for a better grandfather for my daughter"

Hop felt another round of sobs roll on as he clapped Mike's back before saying, "take care of your girls. You can do this."

After Jim had brought them to tears, Joyce was quick to lighten to mood. 

"We'll be right outside if you need us. We'll call up everyone to let them know what's happening. We love you," she said before kissing their cheeks and leaving the room.

Almost right after El's parents had excused themselves, all of the peace seemed to shatter into beautiful chaos.

It was between a harsh push when El turned to Mike and stated casually, "I'm so happy I had you shave my legs today. Perfect timing."

It turned out that labor was not a long process like the damaging stories she had heard. Mike was there along side of her the whole time doing the things he does best; making sure she felt love and support even as her body contorted into a feeling unlike any other. 

Mike's concern of El having to feel pain was abolished soon after the birth. Yes, it was clearly an excruciating process that would require healing. However, she can barely even remember ever feeling pain as her eyes met with a much smaller pair of dark brown ones that matched her husband's.

El was cradling their fresh little creation to the safety of her chest as her husband cried sweet nothings in her ear.

She felt his tears colliding with the side of her face as he whispered, "you did so good. I'm so proud of you. She's here, baby. She's our girl."

Eleven reached down and lightly traced her fingers along her baby girl's doll like face. She lowered herself and softly spoke, "Mama loves you. Daddy loves you. You have a big family that will look after you, always."

There was a lull in time as their baby was taken to be cleaned off. Mike had plopped himself back in the small hospital bed so that he could hold onto his wife. During their final moment of being alone, El let out a small giggle. 

"You said pregnant people shouldn't watch scary movies because it scares babies. Maybe you're right though", she said through her laughter.

Mike quickly responded, "hey! I was somewhat right because look at where we are on October 31st at 1:37AM. Happy Halloween", he finished his statement and squeezed her hand.

"And a happy birthday to the little creature that just partially destroyed me", she quipped, which made the couple break out into hysterics.

Just moments later, after they had collected themselves, Mike was finally holding his daughter.

"Hi baby girl, I'm your daddy," he barely managed to say as his cries commenced again.

El rubbed his back and began to weep through her exhaustion. Over a decade has passed and the two love struck children are now welcoming a child of their own. A small product of the love they had established that meant the world to them. A new representation of the promise they would never break.

This had been an evening full of real unplanned spooks that definitely left them worn out. As much as they would have liked to see the rest of their friends and family, it seemed like resting first was more practical. There would be time to introduce people to their little girl after a few hours of shut eye.

While Mike laid himself down flat, El had taken the opportunity to lounge her overworked body on top of him. 

She was drifting off when she felt him speak into her hair, "I'm happy we named her Willow. It fits her."

El hummed and said, "Willow Avery Wheeler. She is free and she is wise. I love her."

Sleep was quick to overtake each member of the Wheeler family. Two was no longer the perfect number. At the moment, three was all that had mattered. The number would eventually grow higher in the future, but for right now, perfection and wholesome love blanketed over the new family.

It was when El awoke the next morning that she heard a sound that seemed to call out to her. She carefully untangled herself from her husband and padded a few steps until she was hovering above the hospital's crib. 

When she looked down, her eyes locked with her daughter's. Their eyes relayed the same comforting message that spoke silent wonders. The new mom gently picked up her murmuring baby and slowly rocked her in her arms.

Eleven had realized she needed to try feeding her.  She was beginning to undo the top of her hospital gown when she heard a chorus of, "wait, stop!", followed by the sound of Mike crashing to the floor in hurried fear.

When the couple looked towards the sound that had disturbed them, they felt immensely overwhelmed.

There at the entrance of their hospital room stood all four party members. Their arms were filled with a random array of gifts for their honorary niece.

"God, El, you are a hot mom!", Max strongly stated.

Before anyone could react to the first comment the red head had come up with, a flustered Dustin began sputtering out, "uh, congratulations, we are going to stand outside for a few minutes because that was the second time I have almost seen El shirtless and it's just not right. Feed our niece. Let us know when the coast is clear to visit our seventh party member," he finished and fled from the scene.

The remaining crowd all shared a laugh before Max, Lucas, and Will excused themselves.

Mike quickly met Eleven and brought her closer to his chest. She was placing a kiss upon Willow's head at the same time that Mike had kissed her own.

Right in that moment, before the door clicked shut, the two saw a flash and watched as a man in nearly all black ran out.

"Jonathan just got the first of four hundred pictures he'll be taking. God, my eyes are going to be bloody by the end of the day," Mike sleepily muttered.

El let out a giggle and watched as her little girl burrowed further towards her chest.

"Shall we take on another first of our parenting adventure, Mr. Wheeler?", she questioned shyly.

He raised his eyebrows and said, "I couldn't imagine doing any of this without you."

The rest of the day rushed right past them. Willow had met with every single person that had been a valuable part of her parent's story. By the end of Halloween, the new baby already owned small portions of everybody's hearts.

Even though she had only been apart of the world for just a day, their child already knew that the love she was receiving from her parents and loved ones was greater than any other love to exist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this turned out alright. I know it was a bit all over the place, but I wanted it to feel a bit chaotic. As always, please leave comments or requests. I love hearing from you all. Thank you for your time <3


	7. We Keep Trying (1994)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eleven and Mike handle all of the negatives they received before finding out there would be a positive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I threw this little piece together after the lovely Ohanae requested another brilliant idea. She wanted to see Mike and Eleven overcoming the disappointment they faced each time they were trying to conceive and were unable to. It’s a bit angsty, (and my writing is a bit messy), but obviously knowing me - it’s still very fluffy. I love you, Ohanae!  
> Ps - Val, if you’re still reading, I’m working on your Kali request right now. It will be posted within the next week! (:

There’s this feeling that everybody faces at least once. Maybe it could be identified as having bad luck. Or the feeling one gets when they’ve worked so hard at something and end up falling shortly right in front of it.

Mike and El were currently facing what he saw to be incorrect timing. Everything they wanted would happen when it was meant to come along.

For El though, she saw it as a personal systematic failure. She was convinced that she was the piece in this situation that would ultimately lead to disappointing the one she loves most.

Failure can be deadly if one absorbs the toxicity that it brings.

“We’ll try again”, came the gentle voice of her husband.

She had been lost in her self-loathing thoughts and could barely bring herself to acknowledge his statement. She sent him a brief nod before continuing to trace her fingers along the bathroom tile.

Her trance was rattled when she heard the clatter of her fourth negative pregnancy test hitting the bottom of the trashcan.

Mike’s side pressed softly to her’s before he slid his chin into the crook of her neck. He left a kiss on her collarbone and felt as she tensed up.

He knew her well enough to recognize that she was shutting down. That this process was reminding her that sometimes she cannot control the body she owns.

“How about I make your favorite pasta dish? We can even bake a cake for later. Just to celebrate us,” he suggested in hopes of cheering her up.

He awaited her response, but El’s eyes never snapped to his. He could sense that her golden irises were glassed over as if all the light was being squeezed out of her.

He gingerly brought both his hands up to her cheeks before making her face him. Although she was looking right back at him, her gaze felt hollow and empty.

“Baby, this is out of our control. We both know we are physically able to conceive, but it’s just not the right time. When our stars play out, we’ll know,” he assured in a quiet voice.

Eleven always loved the stars. They were there throughout the dark and showed her beauty in the midst of despair. Stars represented the constellation that was marked permanently across the love of her life’s most precious features. 

Why would the alignment of stars continue disappointing them both? Why wasn’t this the moment for them to begin a family?

She could only think of one conclusion that seemed logical to her.

“It’s not timing or the stars. It’s me. I have always been damaged. I should have listened to pap—“, she was cut off when Mike smoothly ran his long fingers along her face, successfully distracting her from mentioning that sick man.

“Stop. The bad men have nothing to do with this. And this is not you. When it’s the right time we will get what we want, I just know it,” he proclaimed.

She immediately shook her head and scooted herself away from his touch. Mike became overwhelmed by the coldness that was present in the room.

“We are always trying when I’m ovulating. If my body and I were right then it would have happened. I’m not meant to have this,” she finished her statement and allowed the tears to cascade down her cheeks.

Her husband was quick to pull her towards him. He placed his back firmly along the edge of their bathtub and opened his legs so she could snuggly fit into his warm embrace. When her back aligned itself with his chest he circled his arms around her waist.

He began drawing circles on her hips and spoke in a relaxing tone, “you are meant to have the world. We don’t need a biological time schedule, we just need the right moment. I promise you, you and I will have this. We will have a family.”

She turned her head just enough so their eyes could meet before she started battling his response.

“You can’t promise me this. Just like I can’t promise you I will be able to have children,” he attempted to cut her off, but she held a stern hand up and continued, “I can’t promise this. I know the doctor said we are both fertile or whatever, but maybe it isn’t in my cards. The universe probably does not want someone like me to reproduce.”

El watched in silent shock as Mike released a painful sob in response to her harsh words. His chest was heaving and he appeared to be in distress. She was going to ask him if he was in pain, but he chose that moment to find his voice.

“I can’t listen to you say these things about yourself. El, you’re worthy of everything that every other person may have. Listening to you dismantle yourself hurts me,” he finished talking and pointed strongly towards his heart.

She responded with a weak cry and said, “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry. I can’t do anything right.”

He quickly shook his head, “you have nothing to apologize to me for. I understand that this is disappointing, but we need to stay positive. You deserve this. I promise. And I never break my promises.”

Eleven reflected upon what he was saying and digested the fact that she needed to remain in high spirits. 

She had been apart of a loving family for some time now. She was raised to be an honorable human. She was intelligent and overcame hurdles she could never have imagined. She went on to marry the man she’s known since the day she became free. 

Nothing she has, has come cheap. She has had to work hard, but it is all worth it. She earned this life and deserved each new day.

She knew there was nothing that could stop her from starting a family with the man she loved except herself.

El shifted her body around and pressed her front to Mike’s. She saw he still had tears escaping from his dark eyes and began wiping away what she could before settling her forehead against his.

“I know I’m worth all of this. I just can’t help but think otherwise when things get hard,” she explained.

He leaned in and pressed his lips to her’s for just a moment, pulling away when he felt her lips wobble.

“We are going to have babies. And I mean plural if that’s what you want. It just needs time, we will get there,” he promised.

She nodded and stated, “maybe we need to try being more natural. Like, less planned? Or spontaneous. We can just let it happen whenever we’re in the moment?”

He goofily raised an eyebrow before grinning widely.

“Are you saying let’s just be hormonal crazy people whenever the moment strikes? I’ll never get enough of you, so this is about to be a constant occurrence. I’ll have to quit my job and everything,” he said before cackling as if he’d just told the funniest joke.

She rolled her eyes and said, “well, I’m not saying no to that. I’m serious though. Let’s just have fun and be relaxed. I’m not going to monitor my ovulation anymore. I just want to feel love with you whenever I want. No scheduling needed.”

His eyes burned into hers before he spoke, “I completely agree. No overthinking, let’s just be in love.”

They grinned widely at one another and began giggling like children. The silliness they were able to find in the situation made her remember when they were younger. She could hear their in tune laughter as they sat along side one another at the Dungeons and Dragons table. Just like it’s been this way all along.

“God, I love you,” El said through her laughter.

“I love you 353 days and beyond,” he responded before crashing into her.

As his lips molded to her’s, she felt herself lost in the thought of stars. She saw them shoot across her closed eyelids as the sparks radiated from their locked lips. 

They broke apart to get some air and stared at each other. Their eyes shared a mutual message.

“Bedroom?”, she panted.

He didn’t verbally respond, but before she knew what was happening, she had found her legs crossed firmly around his waist. He left bruising kisses along her neck as his legs guided them to the location they knew so well.

The rest of their day was spent in bliss. No more worrying about how exactly to bring a baby into this world. Only the pure practice of showing one another just how strong their love was.

Hours later they finally plucked themselves from bed and drifted into the kitchen.

“God, I love this pasta. I could marry it,” El moaned through her mouthful of delicious Italian perfection. 

“Hey! You can’t marry this meal, you’re my wife!”, Mike defended.

She looked up at him and noted how childish he appeared. 

“Can’t believe I married such a mess,” she muttered. 

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at her comment. Little did he know that from his nose down to the bottom of his chin was currently covered in red marinara sauce. He watched as she leaned over and gingerly dabbed his face with a napkin until he was clean. 

Once again, their eyes met and reciprocated the rekindling heat. 

“Time for dessert?”, she said suggestively.

No words were exchanged as he comically darted down the hallway in record speed as he shouted, “I’ll race you there!”

She shook her head in mock disapproval of his antics before hurrying to follow him.

The couple’s day of passion did not result in the creation of their first child. It simply was not meant to happen then.

It was when the new year had begun that El felt the atmosphere shift. She could sense that 1995 would bring something new and untraveled into her life. She just could not seem to figure out what that might be.

Eleven and Mike had taken a walk one morning in February and watched as a lone Willow tree gently blew in the brisk air. It stood in solidarity, apart from the other surrounding trees. However, there seemed to be two birds hurrying to build a nest within one of it’s sturdiest looking branches. 

“It’s relaxing.. watching it move like that,” El said softly while watching its continued dance.

Mike brought her closer to his side in attempts to shield her from the wind before responding, “yeah. It’s wise of it to have grown here. Now it has two birds starting a life with it.”

They eventually dragged themselves away and snuggled up in the comfort of their home. While they basked in the coziness of hot chocolate and thick blankets, El could not seem to take her mind away from that tree.

In fact, the idea of that Willow followed her for another few days. Always thinking about the feelings it had stirred up within her.

It was a week later when El was in the midst of cleaning that a strong realization hit her.

She should have known all along that while her and Mike remain together, failure could never occur. Hardships come and go, but the stars must always return once the clouds have settled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to leave my tumblr username here, @ thedreams-theyfloat, so that if anyone has any requests or would simply like to talk, I can be reached there! Thanks for all of the support. Sending love to you all <3


	8. Theatrical Loss and Love (1988)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike encounters the destruction behind another being’s powers as El faces a person from her past. The couple finds that healing wounds can be simple as long as they have each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My lovely reader Val had requested I write about Kali using her powers on Mike, which leads to an angry El. However, Kali was so difficult to conjure up in my imagination because I feel there’s significant missing pieces of her that were not provided in season two. So, long story short, this is a brief hectic encounter with Kali that leads to pretty much a mess of fluff. Oh, and a very fluffy Hopper. He is a gentle giant.

The end of winter was a strange time. Color was returning at a fast rate and the sun seemed to get brighter with each passing day. Wild flowers could be seen creeping along the outskirts of Mirkwood. Spring was on the rise and while most days were getting warmer, nights still remained cold as ever.

Mike and El went on an outing to the theater one evening that was chillier than the rest. They had to huddle into each other while they walked in order to create resistance against the hard blowing wind.

Once the couple reached the ticket booth, El spoke through her chattering teeth, “t-two tickets to Beetlejuice, p-please.”

The boy behind the counter flushed at her presence and stuttered out the total cost. Mike’s frozen hands were still attempting to pry money out of his wallet when he saw his girlfriend move out of the corner of his eye.

“Enjoy your show! Have a nice night,” said the eager theater employee as he handed her the tickets.

She dragged Mike away, but was stopped when he leaned his head down and whispered against her ear, “you didn’t have to pay, but since you did, snacks are on me.”

She shivered from the warm breath that had radiated in her ear. Before she got a chance to respond, her boyfriend took the liberty of pulling her to the concession stand.

“Popcorn, m&ms, and a water. Or did you want to change your order for the first time in three years?”, his question laced with heavy sarcasm.

El jabbed his ribs with a light elbow and responded, “you know I never change my tradition and if you tease me about it again I might not hold your hand during the movie.”

Mike’s eyes widened in response and he shook his head, “nope. No more teasing. My hand is your’s, hold it or I’ll cry.”

She giggled and interlocked their hands as he ordered their necessary movie treats. A few moments later the two of them headed towards the auditorium that was playing Beetlejuice. El was gently swinging their hands as they walked and Mike couldn’t help but grin at his adorable girlfriend.

They were settling into their seats when the lights began to dim. Mike moved his arm to rest around her shoulder and felt as she nuzzled her chin into the crook of his neck. He was trying to focus on the film, but found that there were two current distractions he was facing. 

The first was El. He couldn’t stop himself from glancing at her once every minute. Plus, it didn’t help that she was lazily drawing hypnotizing circles across his abdomen. The second distraction was the fact that he needed to go to the bathroom. Having been so caught up in distraction number one, he had made the fatal error of forgetting to use the restroom before the movie began.

He remained strong for nearly the first half of the movie. Yet, his bladder was losing its resilience and was about to implode.

“I’m going to go run to the bathroom. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he finished his statement by leaving a firm kiss on her temple.

She sweetly looked up at him, “hurry back, babe.”

That was the only thing she got to say before he darted out of the room. His limbs went flailing as he rushed through the crowd of adolescents that were taking over the main lobby. He just about kicked his way into the bathroom and was quick to find his relief.

Mike had just placed himself in front of the sink when he saw the reflection of someone standing behind him in the mirror.

He glanced back and was met with El’s unusually dark irises. It only took another second for him to recognize a few other issues. 

Her ivory face was covered in a thick crimson liquid. The blood seemed to cascade down her neck and trickle to her waist line. She looked to be standing at death’s door as she swayed uneasily.

He snapped out of his confused haze and rushed to wrap her frail frame tightly in his arms before she could fall. His heart was rapidly beating and he was finding it hard to speak.

Mike had thought she looked severely unwell after closing the gate, but this went beyond that. This had to be more than just the simple overuse of her powers because she appeared nearly mutilated. Almost how he would imagine Bob looked.

He laid a delicate hand on her face as he rediscovered his voice, “baby, what happened?”

The only response he received was her eyes starting to roll backward.

“Hey, hey! Stay with me, okay? You’re just worn out. I’m going to get you out of here. You’ll be okay. Just stay with me,” he uttered out before he began retching with sobs.

El reached towards him and gingerly set her palms against his freckled cheeks. 

“Don’t cry. Don’t get help, it’s too late,” her tone coming out unrecognizably pessimistic.

He shook his head as he became frantic, “no, no, no. You promised! You promised me that I would not lose you. We are going to college next year. We are going to live together and we are going to have our happily ever after. You have never given up. You’re the strongest person I know and I love you with everything I have! This isn’t you to just give up, so you will not give up now, okay? You have way too much to live for. I’ll do anything, just stay with me, love.”

She had been perfectly fine when he left the theater not even five minutes ago and now he was watching her struggle to stay alive. What the hell could have possibly happened between now and then?

He looked her over again and saw an unfamiliar smirk grow on her face. Her eyes weren’t crinkling at the sides like they normally did and her signature dimple was missing.

“Goodbye, Michael,” were the words he had barely registered before watching her dissolve in thin air. Again.

Mike’s lungs froze. His arms reached out and swiped at the room in search of the figure that had just laid in his arms. Although he couldn’t even breathe, his throat gurgled out shrieks.

“El! Come back! Eleven!”

His bones began to ache from the rapid shakes that were now taking over his system. He was almost blacked out when he felt a body collide with his. He pulled away, but stopped when his eyes melted into the golden brown sun.

“El? I don’t understand. You left me. You were gone! There was so much blood and you were gone again! What’s happening?”, he said while desperately gripping at his hair.

The real El looked on distraughtly as the love of her life turned and burrowed his face into her chest.

She had been sitting in the theater waiting for him to return when she got this feeling. She couldn’t exactly describe it, but it felt unpleasant. The only thing she accurately identified was that Mike was channeling her and needed her right then. As she got closer to the men’s room she had heard his uneasy cries.

She focused on collecting her boyfriend and worked her fingers through his hair while reassuring him, “I’m right here. You did not lose me, I promise. It’s okay, we’re okay. I love you. I promise.”

El was going to continue coddling him until he was stable enough to move, but she felt that negative sensation once more. She knew she was being watched, but couldn’t sense impending harm.

“I knew it wasn’t real. It wasn’t you. Whatever that was.. it’s eyes and everything just, was not you. But I convinced myself I lost you because it was too similar to before and I lost yo—,” another wave of cries cut him off.

His body felt overworked and his girlfriend’s soothing hands were putting him to sleep. He was almost unconscious when her voice echoed off the walls, “someone played a cruel prank on you or something.. but there’s only one person I know who can do something like that.”

Her head whipped around and before Mike could question her she spoke loudly, “come out! Explain whatever you just did because I know you’re here, Kali! Don’t be a coward.”

They waited several agonizing seconds before El was proven correct. The sounds of combat boots against the tile flooring came closer.

A smooth voice greeted, “hey, sis.”

Standing before them, in the flesh, was El’s half sister. Kali didn’t look any different from when she had last seen her. It’s been a few years and El had missed her. She was planning to contact her, but after this, her sister’s presence only left a poor taste in her mouth. 

The older girl went to speak, but El brutally ended that by using her powers to legitimately seal Kali’s lips shut.

“You have a minute, and I mean one minute to explain what the hell you have done to him. I need a stellar explanation, so start talking,” she spoke with such foreign anger that Mike’s soothing instincts urged him to begin rubbing her back. His tactic must have been working because her powers easily unclenched from the grip they had been holding.

“It’s been awhile and I checked to see if you were safe. I know you love this boy, but I needed to know if he reciprocated that love. I don’t want another man taking precious time from you like papa did; especially when you could be with family that loves you, like me. So I wanted to see how Michael would handle his fear about you,” El was going to interrupt her, but her sister forcefully carried on with her explanation.

“I really thought his worst fear would be your powers acting out. I simply wanted to see if he’d stick with you through something like that. Once it played out like it did, I didn’t know how to stop showing him the brutal vision because I was shocked. Michael clearly knows you and does not fear what you are, so he passed,” Kali said firmly.

Once given the green light, El’s fury revived itself for an encore presentation. 

“I may be younger than you, but I am clearly far more intelligent. There are thousands of other ways you could have seen me. Also, you could’ve just taken the time to sit down and talk with both of us about your concerns like a normal person would do. This was completely invasive and unforgivable. Get out.”

Kali looked like she had be slapped by the words that were just delivered. She loved her baby sister. She had a lot to offer within her wrongly mended heart, but did not know how to go about things in an appropriate way.

Sticking with her pride, Kali sent her a nod as tears filled her eyes. She was headed for the door when a voice stopped her.

“Wait. This was not right. It was extremely messed up to do, but I can forgive you in the future. I know El could as well. Why don’t we plan to meet and talk? I am willing to allow you to get to know me more so that you know she’s safe and not with some pretentious douche,” Mike finished his claim and squeezed El’s hip to see how she felt about what he had said.

Eleven glanced down and looked at his face. His head was still resting on her chest and his dark chocolate eyes were glazed over. Even though he visibly appeared hurt, she could tell her boyfriend had meant what he had just said.

She lightly winked and looked to Kali again, “next weekend. We’ll have breakfast at my dad’s. Come if you want another chance. Prove to me you’re not lost in your bad habits.”

Her sister pursed her lips and replied, “I can do that. I’ll leave you be for now. See you soon, sister.”

“Be safe,” El muttered as eight left the bathroom.

Once it was just the two of them, a blanket of thick silence settled over them. Mike slowly removed himself from the safety of his girlfriend’s hold before leaning his forehead on her’s.

“Is it okay if we head out? I’m pretty tired and I just want to be with you somewhere safe,” he shyly asked.

Without verbally replying, El left a chaste kiss upon his chapped lips and swiftly got up from the floor. 

She held her hand out to Mike and revived her signature smirk, dimples and all, “shall we, Mr. Wheeler?”

They were almost out of the public bathroom they had been occupying for several minutes when Mike pulled on her hand. She had just turned back to check on him when she was suddenly brought into a strong embrace.

He placed a lingering kiss to the top of her head and murmured, “thank you for always being here. I love you.”

He then broke the hug and tucked his girlfriend back into the warmth of his side before they embarked into the cold.

————————————

The car ride to the Hopper’s residence was comfortingly quiet. There was no background music to distract them as El drove. The only noise to be heard were the sounds of Mike’s snores.

After arriving and putting the car in park, El gently shook her boyfriend awake. He awoke with a start, appearing a bit panicked, but relaxed once he saw her next to him.

She announced, “we’re home,” before biting her lip and asking, “do you mind staying the night with me? I’m going to give my parents a brief overview of what happened and they’ll be okay with it.”

His head bobbed up and down before he kissed her cheek, “of course. Staying with you is exactly what I need.”

The couple made their way through the entry way of the house. They had just latched the door behind them when a booming voice startled them.

“Ellie? What are you doing home so soon?”

The two moved towards the living room where the voice had just come from. Her dad squinted at them in confusion and wondered aloud what was going on.

“Happy to see you, Wheeler. I just didn’t expect you guys to stop by. What’s going on?”, asked Hop.

El could tell her father was suspicious, so she wasted no time in rambling out an explanation.

“We had something happen tonight and we didn’t get to finish the movie. My half sister showed up and did something to disturb Mike. We’re okay, we just want to get to sleep and forget this happened. Can we sleep in my room with the door open? Just for the night?”, she pleaded and brought out her puppy eyes.

Hopper rolled his eyes at how unnecessarily over the top she was being. He had worked hard to make it clear these past few years that he trusted her. Plus, he knew she was smart enough not to break the, ‘don’t be stupid with your boyfriend’, rules when he was around.

He let out a gruff laugh and laid a hand on his forehead as he sighed, “kid, lose the gleaming look. It’s fine. I’ll ring Karen and let her know. Did you guys have enough to eat?”

Mike perked up and immediately grinned at the grand welcome he was receiving. 

He chirped, “thanks, Hop. Can I actually go take a shower and then grab a snack?”

“Help yourself, kid. We’ll be down here,” Jim responded as he slung an arm around his daughter. 

Mike headed upstairs and retrieved a pair of his pajamas that El had stolen. He was hopeful that the warm water would get rid of the remaining distress he was carrying.

Meanwhile, the chief was downstairs in full dad mode. After he called Karen, he busied himself by stirring up some late night breakfast for the young ones. He was in the middle of flipping over eggs when he saw two pajama clad arms wrap around his waist.

El’s voice was rough against his back as she spoke, “she made him see me die. He wasn’t fully sure it was real since she missed a few qualities of mine, but it still shook him up. Dad, the screams he.. just was completely distraught. I’ve ruined him.”

Hopper quickly set aside the eggs so they wouldn’t burn before collecting his daughter in his arms.

“That sounds like it was a bad experience for you both. I could imagine how upset that would make him, but you’ll both be okay. Mike will be fine because nothing actually happened to you. It’ll take a few days, but the thought of losing you will leave him soon. He knows you aren’t going away, Ellie.”

She sputtered, “I feel bad I made him so scared to lose me. I don’t want him to fear me.”

“He does not fear you. Even if something had never happened to you in the past, say if you had never disappeared, I know this would still be a fear of his. That boy loves you and any idea of you not being around is rightfully upsetting,” Hop clarified.

She was going to respond to her father’s kind words, but that was when a third body crashed into their hug.

“He’s right, El. I would always worry about losing you. I just need to sleep off what happened tonight and I’ll be back to my normal worrying self tomorrow,” Mike assured.

The three shared a humorous look and shuffled out of the embrace after recognizing how morbid the situation had gotten.

“Okay. Back to the eggs, frozen waffles, and bacon. Pretend like that love fest never happened. Sound like a plan?”, Hopper said after successfully detaching himself from the kids.

They conversed lightly up until their meals were served and could no longer speak since they were busy devouring the food. El was between forkfuls when she took note of how silent the house was for a Saturday night. 

“Where’s mom, Jon, and Will?”, she asked through a mouthful of food.

Hopper choked back a chuckle, “well, Jonathan wanted to go to some punk show in the city, so Will tagged along. Somehow the boys managed to convince Joyce. God, they’ll probably wake us up when they come home in the middle of the night.”

“I would have loved to see that trio out on the town,” sighed El.

They continued conversing lightly until Mike yawned. He looked visibly slumped and was struggling to keep his eyes open.

“You kids go to bed so that Miss Superhero here doesn’t have to levitate your lanky body to bed, Wheeler,” he poked fun and watched as they excused themselves.

They had just made it to the stairs when El quickly ran back to her dad. She pecked his cheek and whispered, “love you.”

Hop’s eyes got glassy as he ruffled her hair, “love you too, kid.”

They were almost out of ear shot when they heard the burly man shout, “door open! For my sanity!”

Mike and El giggled at his remark as they crashed along side each other on the bed. Her giddy laughter decreased when she felt her boyfriend tug her towards him. She nestled her head perfectly below his collarbone and allowed her thoughts to consume her once more.

“I’m sorry,” she paused to collect herself before continuing, “I feel so badly about what happened. This wouldn’t ever happen if you didn’t date a girl with estranged half relatives that are able to do things. I’m sorry it couldn’t be a nice night.”

He shook his head and began to lovingly play with her hair.

She felt his chest vibrate as he said, “you don’t have anything to be sorry for. You can’t help that this happened tonight, but it happened and we are both okay. I just never want to spend a day on this earth without you again. I couldn’t live with that.”

There was not a moment to breathe before she countered his statement.

“I hope you know that I can’t lose you either. This life would be dull if I was ever not able to see you,” she croaked before letting go of the final few tears she had held back earlier.

Mike’s long fingers swiped along her soft skin as he assured, “we will never lose each other. We have many years before we have to worry about old age taking us. I promise.”

She nodded and finally kissed him properly for the first time that night. She could feel her lips begin to bruise from the passion he was packing beneath the reciprocated gesture. Suddenly, without breaking the kiss, he pulled her closer until she was laid flat on top of him. After a few more moments, she broke away in hopes of settling the butterflies that were madly taking flight in her abdomen. However, the sensation she had only continued to soar higher as she felt him leaving subtle love bites along the hollow of her neck.

“Mike, we have to stop because I have no willpower. Let’s continue this another time?”, she asked timidly.

He chuckled and focused on brushing fallen strands of hair behind her ear. He cupped her face and brought her pink lips back to his for a quick peck. 

“We aren’t losing any time, so this will definitely be continued,” he smoothly stated before resting a hand on the back of her head.

The two were now basking in the moment of being together, feeling each other’s chests rise and fall with every breath they took. Before falling asleep, they murmured a gentle ‘I love you’ to one another. 

The next morning when they woke up, the events from the prior evening would be long forgotten. Nothing, including Kali’s antics, could place a permanent damper on the blissful love they shared.

See, their love was something eternal and untouchable. There was not a preexisting love story that was quite as moving as their’s.

Mike and El’s connection represented a new found hope that would impact generations to come. For right now though, their life was surely just beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As mentioned before, please feel free to reach out to me on tumblr, ( thedreams-theyfloat ), to talk/request if anyone is interested! I am always welcome to accepting any ideas that people would like to see fulfilled!  
> Thank you for taking the time to read another chapter!  
> Best wishes to all!


	9. Missing Security, Fix Me Securely (1996)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> El faces feeling insecure, but overcomes it with Mike’s assistance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy — I am so sorry for my absence. I have missed writing, so here’s a short little blurb of angst + obviously a happy ending because ?? will I ever be known to leave anything on an angsty note ?

She was never one to feel too insecurely about herself.

When Eleven had lived in the lab she was never able to make decisions. She was to act with pure obedience. Never was she in control of deciding what haircut she wanted or what style of clothing she preferred.

After becoming free to be her own unique individual, it seemed that she did not care what people thought of her. El did not wish to mix in with the crowd if she didn't particularly like the crowd's vibe.

When she was a teenager she would rock quirky looks that consisted of pink bows and her father’s worn out flannels. Snobbish folks would give her an occasional eye roll, but that never unsettled her.

She just wanted to be herself in her newly owned skin.

It was approximately three months after giving birth to her daughter Willow that she found something that made her feel an unhealthy dose of insecurity.

It upset her deeply enough that her husband noted something was not right. So, he attempted to help her out of this funk by going to the store to collect all of the food items he knew she loved most. Well, they also needed diapers. So regardless, Mike was off to the store.

"I’m going to run an errand really quick and then I'll be right back. Why don't you take a bath and relax a bit while Willow’s asleep?", he suggested in a hushed tone.

She responded to Mike with a brief nod before placing a kiss on his lips. 

As soon as she heard the apartment door lock, El took the opportunity to rush towards the bathroom. She placed herself in front of their full length mirror and striped herself down to her undergarments. 

She sighed when she noticed the pieces of herself that she hated most were still vividly appearing.

Eleven had always had stretch marks ever since she hit puberty and filled out. She can recall that it was years ago when Joyce had assured her that it was something that happened to everyone when they grew, so she never thought much of it until now.

Her eyes were trained on the white scars that splayed out from her armpits to the sides of her breasts. Her gaze then shifted down to her stomach, which had just finally begun smoothing back to it’s normal size between her hipbones after the birth. She had already had some stretch marks on her stomach, but they had almost doubled after the pregnancy.

She was so lost in examining her body to see where else she could find these markings that she failed to hear her husband reenter the apartment.

"Babe, where are you at? I went to the store and grabbed more eggos and ice cream for you. I also picked up the diapers because I intend to take good care of my girls. Where are y—"

Mike’s question was cut short when he came across the sight of his wife observing herself in the mirror. Although she was stood in a plain white bra and purple underwear, what hypnotized him most was her angelic face. 

Her face always seemed radiant. He knew he could never get tired of seeing her shining golden brown eyes and plump pink lips. 

However, all of his lovesick thoughts derailed as soon as he read El's expression.

She had unusual wrinkles on her forehead that could only be linked to the massive frown that was plastered on her lips. 

Mike immediately rushed closer to her to assure she was okay.

"Hey, what’s wrong? What’s going on in there?", he questioned while lightly tapping her forehead.

His concern began to fester when El's large glassy eyes met his. He was about to start asking more questions when his love's shaky voice interrupted his fast moving mind.

"I-I.. Mike", her voice broke itself off due to the building emotional pressure there.

Her sobs were clawing at her throat, but she tried her hardest to continue speaking. 

"I can't believe I never noticed how ugly my body is. I have these marks and I have all of this unwanted fat in places I failed to pay attention to. I don't understand what you could even see in me considering this is how I looked before the pregnancy. I hate myself”, she said in a hurried fashion almost as if she was running from the critiques her mind had created.

All’s Mike could think of in that moment was that he had never noticed any warning signs that this was what had been bothering her. That she was caught battling against her own image.

He was taken off guard by the words that just left her mouth that he felt like he had been stricken by the world's largest slap. 

Eleven has always been his temple. The only body he would ever worship. In his eyes, she was the most beautiful creation to ever exist. He failed to find words because he was caught reeling in disbelief. 

During his time of shock, Eleven took the opportunity to take steps towards her discarded clothing in effort to cover herself up. That was all it took to rattle Mike away from his thoughts. 

"Woah, hey, freeze right there, Mrs. Wheeler! Please put the clothing down. As much as I love the Jurassic Park t-shirt you're about to throw on, I want to say something”, he sputtered out in quick enthusiasm. 

Mike's hectic plea was seemingly enough for El who was hesitantly putting the shirt back where it was.

Before Mike could say what his mind had planned out, he heard his wife quickly speaking again.

"Look, it's whatever. As long as you love me for who I am, it just doesn't matter. Let's forget this. Sorry for being dramatic,” she muttered lowly.

Mike wasn't going to make the mistake of taking a few seconds to process what was happening. This time, his words and actions came out immediately, "nope, not going to happen. I need to show you what I see. Okay? Let's see, is it okay if I touch you?"

Eleven furrowed her eyebrows before shyly saying, "yes.”

She was unsure what his motive was until he took it upon himself to begin tracing his long fingers over the skin that was exposed at the top of her bra. She felt as his fingers glided along the stretch marks that had settled themselves there.

"See this? This is just another piece of you that is absolutely alluring to me,” he murmured.

He briefly halted his hand’s journey so that his right hand was pressed over her heart. It was when he felt their hearts beating in sync that he remembered how similar their bodies were.

Mike looked up and held her gaze before asking, "I've actually got them there too, can I show you?"

After El slowly nodded her head, he began clumsily taking off his t-shirt. Once he had successfully removed his article of clothing, he daintily lifted up her right hand and rested it over the little pale pink dents that started under his arms.

He cleared his throat and explained, "I think I've had mine ever since my torso decided to grow about four inches overnight in order to catch up to all the growing my legs did." 

Mike released a small sigh when he saw her expression brighten at his silly statement. Yet, just as he thought the storm was passing, he observed her again and noted that her look of darkness had quickly returned.

The poor man had just barely braced himself when Eleven let out an onslaught of harsh words about what she saw as flaws.

"Yeah, well, your stretch marks are beautiful. I'm meant to be soft and smooth. My boobs aren't supposed to have these little marks. They are expected to be big enough while remaining perfectly perky. The marks on my stomach aren't supposed to be there either. My stomach should be toned and flat. Like I said, even before the pregnancy my stomach had become a little personal pouch for my midnight snacks that I have clearly engaged in way too often!”, she berated harshly before breaking down into tears.

She covered her face with her hands and released more of the cries that were hiding within her.

While El found her emotional release, Mike was busy taking the blame upon himself. How could he have let her see herself in this way? Was he not assuring her that she was the most divine being he's ever seen? Hell, ever since he was thirteen he hadn't even batted one eye towards another human being. To him, she was the only person that he could ever be attracted to. What monster had given her the idea that something as common as stretch marks deemed her as an unattractive being?

Before taking another new approach, he once again asked for her consent.

"Baby, can I do something? Is that okay?", he pleaded.

El yelped out a brisk, "sure", from behind the safety net she had formed with her hands.

Mike came closer to her and lowered his head before brushing his lightly chapped lips upon the skin that he had just caressed above her breasts. 

"I love these marks. Both your's and mine. It shows that you've grown just like I have. That we've grown together. These minor scars created by your growth make me so happy because it means you've been here, changing along side of me while sticking by me. They're soft and they're strong, just like you are,” he said in an intensely sincere tone. 

El slowly uncovered her face at his words and watched as her husband settled his knees onto the cool bathroom tile before repeating the placement of gentle kisses on the stretch marks that surrounded her stomach.

Eleven felt Mike's lips part against her sensitive skin as he began speaking again, “your stomach has always been one of my favorite things about you. For the past few years it's been a place for me to lay my head when I've had a bad day. It's a part of you that reminds me that we're okay. And now, it's a part of you that's stronger than ever before. It's an area that kept our baby is safe."

It was when Mike finished speaking that he recognized that he had been crying. He was about to apologize when his wife's cold hand touched his tear covered cheek.

Mike had just risen back to his feet when he felt his wife’s head tuck into the crook of his neck. Once the exposed skin of their chests made contact he heard a slight gasp escape her. He pulled back a bit so he could search her eyes for any signs of distress. 

It was spoken between their connected eyes that he could see the love he felt being reflected back from her.

He worked his fingers through her hair a few times before he shattered the now calm silence, "El, there is not a single thing about you that I could ever think is unattractive. You can shave your head, you could shave your eyebrows, you could even have toes for fingers and I would still be so completely and utterly attracted to every single thing about you!"

Mike nearly floated away with joy when his last comment received a small giggle from El.

"No matter how many stretch marks bloom on your skin, I'll make sure to take a second to love and appreciate each one,” he said before kissing the crown of her head.

El settled her head on his chest and sighed, “I'm sorry for feeling insecure, Mike. I just felt like this was something that I should have controlled. I am just so overwhelmed with wanting to be enough for you and Willow. But if what you say is true, then I can learn to love my stretch marks. I could live with seeing more on my body if it means continuing to grow with you."

While uttering these words, she felt a familiar pressure on the top of her head that she recognized as Mike's chin. 

She felt a vibration from his chest as he spoke, “there is nothing to apologize for. Especially since I have an insecurity of mine flare up at least once a month. I mean, remember last month's occurrence? The cash register guy hit on you and I just about combusted on the spot due to jealousy and lack of self esteem. But remember it was resolved within two minutes all because you rushed out of line to grab a sugar cookie in the shape of a flower and said it was for your rarest rose — I literally cried! In front of the guy that had just blatantly hit on my wife!"

Mike stopped rambling when he felt her wheezing laughter against his skin. It was such a contagious fit that his own cackling was soon thrown into the mix.

Once El’s laugh subsided, she kept the lightheartedness going.

"Well, I think you're the most handsome man, so it's only fair that I get you cheesy flower themed baked goods,” she sighed and got more serious, “Mike, I want you to know that I would never change anything about you. Not a single thing. You were made to be the one that my soul calls home." 

Her lips had only just sealed themselves before Mike hurriedly pulled her into a strong kiss. 

El felt his arms swing down to her thighs before being hoisted up around his waist. She could feel him moving them out of the bathroom all while continuing to feel his sweet lips flickering among her own.

The kiss finally broke when Mike gently threw her onto the bed. He crawled his way up towards her body and rested his forehead on her's. 

They shared a look that the two had shared hundreds of times. The one that was only shared between the two in complete solitude. It was the look that held bright futures and long lasting promises.

Before moving on, Mike wanted to put this incident to rest.

"I would never change a thing about you. You will always be more than enough for me, Willow, and the babies we have to come. You are everything,” he stated firmly.

"We are everything as long as we are together,” she responded without hesitation.

That was the moment they realized it was okay to move on. To show each other the mutual love and care they had built for one another. 

Mike was a key component of who she was. He was her first and everlasting shot of freedom. He was the treatment she needed to cure the temporary insecurity that had infected her. However, El was a necessity for her husband. Without her, he would never feel secure. He needed her and she needed him.

******

It was just a few short days later that El faced the mirror once again. She took note of the powerful woman who had noticeable confidence within her posture. The unique markings that matted alongside her body in spots no longer seemed to disturb her own image of herself.

El walked away from the mirror that day with no insecurities. Simply the radiant feeling of having her husband, her daughter, and most importantly, herself.  
———————————————————————————

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry I stopped writing as consistently! I will still be posting my oneshots as often as possible!
> 
> Also if anyone wants to request anything for the future or if anyone would like to talk, please feel free to reach out to me on tumblr, (thedreams-theyfloat)!  
> Thank you for cooperating with me!


	10. Smother (1996)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike has always had a childish temper. Adding exhaustion and stress into the mix only leads him to saying something he regrets seconds later. Otherwise known as, a brief Mileven argument, (followed by a very apologetic man).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my readers on Wattapad requested this prompt — so I am hopeful I fulfilled it well! SPOILER: of course everything ends smoothly. I am literally incapable of writing Mileven angst with a negative outcome.
> 
> Enjoy!!

The Wheeler family, party of three, had themselves a crazy past few weeks.

Willow had been more fussy then her usual bashful self. She was once so cooperative, but was now proving to be a normal baby that enjoys crying. In fact, a six month old experiencing the joys of teething was proving to be quite a beautifully horrid concept. 

While Mike and El loved their child dearly, the lack of sleep this situation was creating had been causing arguments to spur between them easily. 

One Saturday afternoon, after the two had finally gotten Willow to dreamland, they had found themselves searching the kitchen for food.

“How about we just do spaghetti and meatballs? We can make the sauce together and have a good time!,” El encouraged brightly, even though she was truly fighting through the exhaustion.

Her husband responded without a thought, supplying a weak shrug before saying, “I honestly just think I’m going to go get McDonald’s. I’ll go and I’ll be right back.”

Mike was just about to peck her forehead when she recoiled backward. He furrowed his eyebrows and quickly looked over her expression. Her golden brown eyes were a little sunken in and she began to bite her lip in worry. All signs were pointed in the direction of distress.

“I want to make something together. It could be fun!,” she said once more and appeared to brighten back up.

Although El had thought her attempts of being cheery would be appreciated by the man she loves, she saw that it was having the opposite effects. 

Mike’s forehead scrunched inward as he ran his delicate long fingers hastily through his unwashed hair. He was so extremely drained from only getting four hours of sleep in the past two days that his sour mood began creeping through his bones like a disease. 

Apparently, the two were seeing things from different perspectives. In one corner, Miss Optimism attempted to stride for success. She just wanted to remain as happy as possible.

However, the venom in his mind was unbreakable. Mr Pessimism was about to win this round.

Or could this next action even be considered as a win for him?

Mike sighed heavily before speaking in a sharp tone that fell upon El’s ears painfully, “sometimes I just think it would be better if we spent time apart. I can’t think straight when you are smothering me!”

The words he delivered with a glare sent Eleven’s back to the wall. As soon as she made contact with the sturdy surface, she felt herself catapulted back into her enclosed chamber. She could have even sworn that she felt the hands of men grab onto her arms before throwing her away to face terror in the dark.

She was quickly rattled away from the harsh memories of her past when she felt her tears connect to her arms.

Mike’s glassy brown eyes met her’s from a few feet away. It was in that moment that the demented weight behind his words registered in his now clear mind, but it was a bit too late. 

The damage had been done. A scar upon his love’s heart had already been made.

His sentence he had stated began falling into a repetitive sequence within his scrambled head. He was moving closer to her without even noticing and his mouth went to open the gates of apologies, but was stopped before even beginning.

Willow’s cries echoed from the comfort of the nursery room. Her wailing seemed to have its usual ripple effect on the couple. Both of their feet turned towards the direction, ready to take parenting action seriously. However, Mike’s feet seemed to be failing him. He helplessly attempted to rip his legs from the worn out hardwood flooring, but he already knew it was never going to work.

“El, please let me come with you. We can check on her and then I can apologize,” he spoke between worrisome gasps.

By the time he looked up, El had already flashed down the hall to get to her bundle of hope. Just as she was about to enter Willow’s sanctuary, she faced his way, assuring their eyes connected once more.

“I love my family. I would do anything to protect my little girl, and to protect you. But never let it slip from your mind that I entered this world alone. I can leave it just the same, and so can you,” she assertively stated with independent fierceness.

Mike could not even blink. He could not even take a single breath before he heard the finality of the door locking. 

Alls he could do was stand in his home—their home and await for his wife to release him from the shackles he practically put himself into.

Not even thirty seconds had passed before he heard his daughter’s cries fade. Shortly after the silence, a pleasant sound of a babbling baby’s laughter rang clearly.

Mike could hear Eleven begin to sing. Her voice sounding wounded, yet serene. And as she sang, he took the opportunity to observe the photos of the happy family that were on the yellow walls. 

All of the pictures brought stinging tears to his eyes, but one provoked more than the rest.

The photo in the middle of them all was one from a few weeks after the gate’s closure. The picture, the memory, everything about it seemed to shout at him.

El was wrapped in his blue zip up hoodie he had worn the entire week prior to her return. Her head was nestled into his neck and his head was resting on top of her own. The photo had been snapped by Steve, who at the time, had been supervising their visiting session. 

But none of that really mattered too much right now. What mattered and what made his heart ache so much is that he could vividly remember the words she had uttered in that moment.

A thirteen year old Eleven had murmured into his slouched shoulder, ‘I don’t think I am scared of anything anymore. The only thing I fear is the day you realize you want to be away from me. When you finally feel how overwhelming and needy I can be. I need you.’

He remembers his tears cascading down his cheeks and landing amongst her short curly hair after she had spoken those words. He even remembers promising to never feel, nor say, something even similar to the fear she depicted. It would just simply never happen.

Mike was pulled away from the all too familiar memory when he felt his body be released from its invisible hold.

As soon as he realized he was free, his mind sent him into overdrive. Boy, did he genuinely mess up. He never even felt smothered by her, nor did he feel they ever could be apart. He had allowed his poor temper and his despicably managed stress to speak false accusations directly at the one he loved most.

Mike needed her. He always latched himself to her presence. If anything, he recognized that he was more likely to be the one that smothered her, but he could not help it. Not once has she complained. And now he had said such a thoughtless comment that could lead to his loneliness.

His lanky limbs began leaping down the hall without grace and only stopped once he arrived at the room his two beloved girls were in. He needed to make things right with El.

He thought of all the things he could do to reveal his presence, however, what ended up happening was his palms creating an echoing vibration against the door.

After knocking, he gently said, “hey.. El, it’s me. It’s Mike. I’m out of the kitchen and standing outside the door. I... I really suck. I did not mean a single thing I just said. Yo-“

He had planned to continue rambling for quite some time, but found himself cut off by the door swinging itself open.

Mike meekly peered into the room and noted on the spot that his wife and child were curled up on the nursery’s loveseat. He first saw that Willow had found peace once more and was sleeping against the safety of her mother’s chest with a loving smirk on her lips. His eyes next followed their often traveled path until they fell onto his wife’s.

He did not have time to read her eyes before she slowly brought her index finger up to her mouth, indicating that he needed to be more quiet.

He felt a blush rush to his cheeks as he realized he was only let in because his talking would have eventually disturbed the now blissful baby.

Mike busied himself by looking down at his feet in mild embarrassment. He was ashamed of himself and the fact that he was the reason there was underlying tension in the air.

His internal berating was ended abruptly when he felt El pull him by the hand and out of the room. She gently closed the door and took one last peek at her child, who was now back to sleep in her crib.

Eleven then gracefully led them into the comfort of their bedroom before breaking the hold on their conjoined hands. She had just plopped herself onto the bed when she felt eyes trained on her form. When she looked forward, what she saw almost made her laugh.

There, sitting delicately at the end of the bed, sat her saddened husband. The facial expression he was sporting and the body language he was displaying all led him to look like a lost puppy.

However, before El’s resolve could loosen, she seemingly recalled what had caused him to appear so distraught. 

She cleared her throat with haste and said, “I know you are tired. I know things can be stressful. I know I can be a bother. This is all known to me, but you do not get to talk to me that way,” she took a deep breath to settle her temper before finishing more calmly, “I am sorry if I have been smothering you. Please tell me what I can do to make it better.”

Once she completed her thoughts, Mike was quick to wiggle up closer to her. He planted himself so that his form hovered over top of her before he gently rested his hands on the soft skin of her face.

“You do not have to be sorry. I.. I am a complete wasteoid. While I appreciate you trying to understand what could have possibly made me say such a thing, that is something you most definitely do not need to do. I was completely out of line. My lack of sleep and stress is not because of you. If anything, you are the only sane portion of my life, babe. You are my only constant and I am so sorry. I am disgusted with myself for saying that I could ever feel smothered by you. If anything, I would love to experience being smothered by you,” Mike rambled on and could have continued to for much longer. 

The man at fault was suddenly dumbfounded out of speaking when he felt the only set of lips his have ever known lay amongst his own. Eleven was gliding her fingers between his unruly locks before ending the gesture she had only just started.

He helplessly whined and attempted to chase her for more affection, but contained himself from doing so.

El was looking into her husband’s dazed eyes before claiming, “that was just to stop you from going on more than necessary. I understand, Mike. I can tell you are sorry, just.. all I ask is that next time you talk to me before exploding. That sound okay with you?”

She had thought the hatchet of this mild argument would be buried there and put behind them. Before she even could get to that point though, her husband released a whimper.

Mike placed his face into her chest and gradually started to sob, “I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve you at all and I’m scared that one day I am going to ruin this all on my own because I do not deserve you!”

El quickly picked up his head and pulled his face to meet her own. She daintily swiped the tears clean off his freckled skin before whispering adoring words to him.

“You do deserve me. And I deserve you. We are human, Mike. We are allowed to bicker. We are allowed to move on. Nothing will stop us from belonging together and spending the rest of our lives being one another’s soulmates,” she declared with bold confidence before leaving a trail of kisses along his collarbone, knowing it would stir a reaction.

Soon, her husband turned into a giggling fool, “h-hey! Stop tickling me when I’m trying to rightfully hate myself, Mrs. Wheeler!”

El glanced up briefly and batted her eyelashes, “why, Mr. Wheeler.. I thought you said you wanted to be smothered by my love.”

Mike was left with a dumbfound look of pure love upon his warming expression. This woman, the one he was destined to spend the rest of his life with, was truly one of a kind.

“God, I love you so much. I will never know what I have done to deserve you, but I know that I will be forever grateful to have you. I love you, El,” he spoke with clarity before leaning down to connect their lips.

Just as their lips began to part, the familiar sound of a baby’s cry could be heard.

El giggled and looked up at him, “I love you too, Mike. Actually, I love you so much that I am going to let you go check on Willow this time while I wait here for you.”

He playfully rolled his eyes and dragged himself away from the comfort of his wife’s warmth. He took a glance back at her perfect form and spoke with intensity, “I really do love you, El.”

“And you really will love what I have waiting for you when you come back here. Better be quick,” she retorted with a sly wink.

Just like that, Mike Wheeler took off faster than an Olympic sprinter to take on the role of father in record time. 

The storm that was stirred up by the altercation had come and gone. Regardless of the rough patches that formed in the road, Mike & El were soulmates. Soulmates are never perfect. Things can be ugly, and unfelt harsh words could be spoken.

At the end of the day, the two of them and Willow were just beginning a new start. There were still many milestones for the three to come across as a family. First words to be spoken, and more fights to recover from.

Perhaps all the developing waves could form a gateway to unlocking a new number. Two once grew strong and led to three. Now two will unite once more to find their fourth. Just another chapter to be added to the soulmates storybook.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for taking the time to read! I am always incredibly appreciative of everyone’s feedback. As per usual, please feel free to leave requests! Sending you all warmth and positivity <3


	11. Everything (1991)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When El receives an unexpected message, how will she manage to get past it? Who would support her regardless of the decisions she makes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Otherwise known as, oh look, another oneshot that consists of nearly all fluff and ends with a happy ending. We just love a happy Mileven in this house. PSA: please read the note at the end!

A new wave of normal had recently fallen upon the two twenty one year old college sophomores. El had delved deeply into her social work program finding that this field seemed to serve as a coping mechanism against her past. Meanwhile, Mike had just released a new short story. Well, it’s release was only within the campus’s newsletter, but that did not stop his girlfriend from hanging it on their rundown refrigerator like it was a Nobel Peace Prize. 

It was Tuesday evening and El had just returned from her internship. She was in the process of rushing towards the bedroom when she noticed a shiny red light blinking on their answering machine. 

She carelessly dropped her bags along the way while floating over to the device, blissfully unaware that her joyful mood would soon burst. It was when she pressed play that her spirits began to crash.

“Hey, it’s me. It’s Kali. I know it’s been a few months, but I just wanted to apologize for the last time I showed up. Things were going so well between you and I until that night. Look... I know I shouldn’t have come. You shouldn’t have seen me like that. I know I can be a mess, a damn awful mess. I.. I don’t know. I would have never broken into your home, I was too drunk and couldn’t stop myself to think straightly. And I’m really sorry I hit you after your tried kicking me out.. it was unforgivable. Is there anyway I can have a chance? Just an hour of your time where we can talk and I can explain. Even if you don’t forgive me, can I please try to make it up to you? I got a job now. It’s at the cafe near the warehouse where we had met up the past few times we saw each other. Please, if you will, please come by.. I’m sorry, Eleven. You’re my sister and I lov—“

The long message cut loose and freed itself of the once heard voice.

El stood there in shock for several moments trying to wrap her head around the information her sister had laid on the table. In fact, her statue stood still up until Mike came and found her in place.

She just barely registered that her body was being turned around and brought closely into a familiar embrace. However, as soon as she recognized the smell of her boyfriend’s aftershave, she shattered free and wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders as her cries broke between her tightened gasps.

Mike soothingly left kisses upon the crown of her head before whispering, “I got you. You’re okay. I’m here, it’s okay. Follow my breaths, just keep breathing with me.”

Not even a minute later, Mike felt her slump against his chest indicating that she was spent. He graciously bent down and wrapped his fingers around her thighs. After hoisting her legs upon his waist, he swiftly guided them into their room where he softly laid her to bed.

Once Mike’s lanky body was scattered just a centimeter apart from his girlfriend, he took a second to look over her features. El’s eyes appeared glassy, as if she were in a catatonic daze. Her face left him feeling unsettled, almost fearing that danger had found its way back into their now settling lives.

“Babe, you’re scaring me. Can you tell me what happened? I came in and saw you frozen.. you didn’t answer when I called your name. I know something happened, and you don’t have to tell me anything if you’re not ready to, but please let me know if you’re okay. Can I do anything? Are you hur—“

El loved her boyfriend’s tendency to ramble, but right now, she could tell he was going to continue going on until he had a full on panic attack. So, in efforts to soothe his fragile state, she leaned in and chastely kissed him. She had intended for it to be fast, just a peck to silence him, but soon found that the warmth of his plump lips cast a healing spell upon her. 

Mike’s body was fast to crumble under his girlfriend’s touch. He felt her mouth open against his and was nearly taken away from what had him so worried a second ago. It was when Eleven had lightly pulled on his tasseled curls that her fingers were now weaved into that brought him back to consciousness.

“Baby, please talk to me. I need to know that you’re okay,” he muttered against her mouth.

El huffed disappointedly and pulled herself back. She noted diligently how dark Mike’s blazing eyes were before mentally shaking herself from her lovesick haze.

“There was a message on the machine when I got home. I wasn’t expecting it, so I think my emotions kind of scrambled. I’m sorry if I scared you,” she said before looking away in shame.

She felt an index finger hook itself under her jaw as a thumb lingered on her chin, “you have nothing to be sorry for. You’re allowed to not know how to feel sometimes. It’s okay, El. I just needed to know that you were okay and safe”.

Eleven felt her cheeks heat up in appreciation of how cared for she felt. She could never believe how lucky she truly was to have someone as devoted as Mike.

“Do you feel okay enough to tell me who the message was from?” he gently probed.

Instead of answering, El interlocked their hands and dragged him back into the kitchen where he could hear the message himself.

Later on that evening, after listening to the recording, Mike was laying flat on the sofa while El had nestled herself on top of him. He was caressing the curve of her back when he reignited the concerning topic from earlier that was beginning to fester in his mind.

“You’re the best person I know, El. I know you probably think you have to go meet with Kali simply because she’s your sister. And I know I have no say in this, but I’m worried about your safety. She could be dangerous and I’m selfish for saying this, but I don’t want you to go. I know that she’s family, but I can’t lose you. You’re the love of my life and my family. I need you to be safe, please,” he poured out emotionally.

El went to respond when Mike began to further regurgitate his concerns, “I have a bad feeling. I don’t know how to explain it, just.. please, don’t go. Please don’t leave me. I love you, I love you so much. I can’t see you get hurt again. I can still remember how scared you were when she came here that night, and when she hit you. I don’t remember forcing her out of the apartment afterwards, but I remember how you felt. How I felt when I realized I couldn’t protect you. I never want anyone to ever hurt you again, and I’m scared it’s going to happen. Pleas—“

For the second time that day, Michael Wheeler found himself being politely silenced with a kiss. Except this time, his heart’s beating did not settle.

El pulled away and whipped away the tears now resting on the freckled cheeks she loved. She took a deep breath, “Mike, you will always keep me safe. I’m not going anywhere. You will not lose me. I promise, I—,”

She could tell he wanted to cut in again, so she playfully clamped his mouth shut with her hand. She lowered herself until her forehead was resting against his before beginning to speak once more.

“I love you more than anything else in this entire world. I will always be here, I will never leave you. We don’t need to think about this anymore, okay? Everything is okay. I love you,” she proclaimed sternly enough so that he understood that it was safe for him to relax. 

The two of them spent the rest of the night in the living room confessing how much adoration they had for one another. It was a night that filled them with such a high dose of pleasure that all negative emotions were evaporated from their atmosphere. Well, at least for another three days.  
————————————  
The days that followed seemed to buzz by as the end of the week arrived. It was finally Friday. 

Fridays were Mike’s favorite because it was the day his classes wrapped up by noon. His free time included following a strict schedule that he has established for himself months ago. First, he would bike back to the apartment and begin sprucing up whatever cluttered mess the two of them had produced over the week. Then, he would put on a record while he prepared a candlelit dinner that would be ready right on time for El’s arrival. 

However, for the first time since Mike had created this ritual, Eleven was late. The candle wicks were already half burnt and the food’s warmth had shifted to cold.

He spent the first half hour mindlessly starring at the door, envisioning her walking each passing second. The next half hour he had spent anxiously cleaning up the meal he had made. Somewhere after ninety agonizing minutes his exhaustion from the week and his worries had lulled him to sleep.

It was three hours later that Mike awoke to a voice in his apartment. He opened his eyes and noticed that he was once again seated at the dining room table, except now he was accompanied by the darkness from the night that was surrounding each corner of the apartment.

His mind had just reminded him that El never returned home when he suddenly heard the grizzly voice that woke him up echoing from a few feet away.

“Hello!? Kid! Are you there? I’m going to hang up in a minute. Look, I’m going to be there soon. Jesus.. I forgot my key to the apartment though, so I need you to let us in. Mike? Are you th—,” 

Somehow, during this stretch of time, Mike’s adrenaline allowed his long legs to sprint towards the phone. After nearly dropping the flimsy object, he managed to click the receiving button, hoping he wasn’t too late.

“Hopper! Hop, are you still there? El never came home, we need to go get her. Help me find her!” he frantically shouted into the phone.

Hopper sighed, “thank God. I was starting to think you tried to go find her and got yourself into trouble. Wheeler, she’s with me. She’s asleep in the passenger seat. We’ll be there soon.”

“What? Is she okay? How did she get there? Is she hurt?” Mike’s rapid fire questions had only just begun, yet were terminated by his future father in law’s stern tone.

“Kid, she’s fine. She’s safe. We can talk when I get there. This damn brick phone is a distraction from my driving. I told Callahan we should’ve just stuck with the radio com—,” the father’s speech on modern technology was cut soon as well.

“Jesus, Hop. Just get her here. I need her here safe. Take care of her,” Mike spoke with newfound assertiveness, something he would have usually been too timid to use towards Hopper.

“Christ, okay kid. Okay. Be there in ten,” Hop confirmed before the line went dead.

The next seven minutes were spent in pure agony. Mike wasn’t sure what condition his girlfriend would be returning in. Did she overuse her powers? Did she get into an accident on her way home?

The boy’s stressful pacing was just about to burn a hole through the apartment’s old hardwood flooring when a harsh knock fell at the frail door.

“Open up Wheeler, I’m too old to be carrying her for this long,” came that familiar gruff voice.

Mike quickly whipped the door open, not caring that it had ricocheted and left a dent in the wall beside it. He urgently reached out his arms, doing a similar motion as a toddler would when they are begging their parents to hold them.

Hopper released yet another sigh as he deposited his daughter into the safety of the arms that belonged to the man that would die for her. The father had just shut and locked the front door when he heard the kid he was once berated by whispering soothing affirmations into his daughters disheveled hair. Hop lightly rolled his eyes as he invited himself in the rest of the way and sat himself down across from the couple.

Mike continued to gently rock the girl in his lap while he spoke, “tell me what happened to her, please.”

“Well, Kali dropped her off at my house. The two of them met for lunch. Turns out the place they were at had a drink special and well.. El’s a lightweight. Only took two drinks for her to be drunk. Kali hasn’t been drinking anymore, so she was sober and brought her home to me,” Hopper meant to go on with the rest of the story, yet the damn Wheeler kid simply couldn’t stop himself from interrupting.

“Her home is with me. She’s my home. Kali should know that considering she broke in here just a few months ago, so why would she take El forty five minutes out of the way?” Mike heatedly questioned.

Hopper had to hold back a laugh before he could speak again, “Kali said that El demanded she take her to my house. Quite frankly I didn’t get it either, at least not until El drunkenly presented a speech to me.”

Mike furrowed his eyebrows, “a speech? What’d she say?”

There was a silent beat that passed between the two men before the police chief cracked a proud smile, “she wanted to tell me how glad she was I baited her with those eggos during the winter of 83. She said if it weren’t for me giving her a home, that she wouldn’t have been able to spend years with the boy she loves. Then, I’m sure I shouldn’t tell you this, but she asked me if it was okay that she proposes to you. That she wants to, ‘be a Wheeler, even though she’ll always be proud to be a Hopper’.”

Hopper watched as the kid, no, man in front of him looked down at his daughter in awe. He could tell Mike had tears held within his eyes that had yet to fall, so he cut in, “just don’t tell her I told you that part. Also, right before she fell asleep again, she told me she was scared you were going to be mad at her for seeing Kali. Said the only reason she didn’t tell you is because she made up her mind last minute and couldn’t find a phone to call you from outside of the cafe.”

Mike just shook his head and busied himself by playing with her knotted hair, “I wouldn’t have been mad anyways. I’ll always support her, even if I don’t always agree with her decisions.”

Right after he said that, he seemed to have a light bulb moment. His head snapped upward to meet Hopper’s eyes as he found his wording.

“I already have a ring. I saw it one day and knew it was for her. For us. I’m just waiting for the right moment. I’m really sorry I didn’t ask for permission, I—“

“There’s no need to ask for permission. Or for my ‘blessings’. You two have always had my support. Just let me know when you’re going to get a tux for the wedding because I plan to pay for it. It’s what family does, understand?” Hopper spoke cautiously around the lump that had formed in his throat, making sure he didn’t cry.

Mike’s tear filled eyes met his and nodded at the man’s statement. He was just preparing to respond when he felt El stir in his lap.

“W..what happened?” she questioned while coming out of her coma like nap.

Although El’s head was aching intensely, she felt the pain mildly cure itself as a pair of slightly chapped lips left gentle marks along her skin.

“You’re home. You’re okay,” came a voice that made her feel like she was floating beside the sun.

She sat herself up and linked her arms behind her boyfriend’s neck, “I went and saw Kali. It went really well. I only seem disheveled because it was buy one get one mai tais and they actually destroyed my mind.”

As she ducked her head into the crook of Mike’s neck, she felt his throat shake with laughter. She then heard a voice speak up, but immediately noticed it came from the other man in her life.

“Ellie, stay away from alcohol. I’m going to get out of here now that you’re delivered back to safety because Joyce will be wondering where I am.”

El was quick to jolt herself out of her boyfriend’s lap before nearly catapulting herself into her father’s arms.

“I am so sorry I showed up like that, dad. Thanks for bringing me home. Please don’t tease me for all the things I said,” she embarrassingly pleaded.

Hopper just laughed and patted her on the back, “oh El, I’ll always tease you. It’s what dads do. Now go get some sleep, okay?”

After the father and daughter spoke quiet goodbyes, Mike brought himself forward and hugged the burly man as well. Just when they were separating, Hop clapped a hand on his shoulder and lowly spoke, “ask her. Keep her safe. Just ask, she’ll say yes.”

Just as Hop departed from the couple’s apartment, Mike felt a body collide with his back. 

El propped her head on top of his and giddily spoke, “so I’m a little tipsy, but I’m okay. I’m sorry if I gave you a scare and I’m really sorry I couldn’t reach you to tell you where I was. Are you mad at me?”

Instead of getting an answer, the happy girl released a squeal when she felt her body bounce along as her tall boyfriend moved them towards their bedroom. Mike quickly dropped her on her side of the queen size mattress and tucked her beneath the worn out quilt.

It was almost like déjà vu when he laid himself next to her, leaving no space between them. 

He brought her into his chest once more and said, “I could never be mad at you. I’m just so happy you’re safe. Will you tell me tomorrow what happened? I want to hear about it.”

“Of course. Tomorrow. You and me. It’s a date?” she spoke with hope laced in her voice.

Mike lifted her head up to face him so that he could kiss her soft lips one more time before sleep could consume them both.

“You and me. It’s always going to be you and me. I love you, El, more than everything.” he declared with certainty.

He then felt El’s chin lay itself between his sternum, and saw stars in her warm brown eyes as she asked, “everything?”

Michael Wheeler was destined to be with this woman. He knew before this moment, but allowed it to sink in then, that he was designed to love her. Regardless to whether or not they agreed on each decision they made. It did not matter that they did things that got under the other’s skin. It did not matter that there were hard times still left to come. Mike knew that he and El were made to love each other for eternity. That they were made to be a family.

“Everything. Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have missed writing so dearly. Soon I will be on a longer break away from school and my internship, so please, *please* send requests! 
> 
> Also, just wanted to point out that the statement Mike shares at the end of this oneshot where he claims to love El, “more than everything”, is something I borrowed from David Sheff’s 2009 novel titled ‘Beautiful Boy’, (published by Mariner Books). I read it years ago, (it is now a movie though, so if books aren’t your thing, go see it!). The book was something that emotionally moved me an enormous amount and was one of the first pieces of writing I connected with. It not only hit home, but also inspired my career path. Totally recommend it! (Just wanted to disclaim that I 100% do not own the, “I love you, more than everything”, statement and that the full credit of that goes out to David Sheff.) (the rest of the oneshot is straight from my brain — shout out to her for being apart of me)
> 
> Anyways, I really hope all is going well for everyone. Until next time!


	12. Don’t Panic (1997)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike experiences a panic attack after the pressures of work overwhelm his senses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am really sorry if this disappoints, it’s not my best work, but it’s something! And as always, there’s also a note at the end of this.

It’s an unwelcome familiar feeling. The sense of dread creeping and crouching a weight upon one’s shoulders. Maybe it’s triggered by a family member saying something wrong, or it could even happen when one’s favorite snack is not currently obtainable. It’s that one subtle, insignificant event that somehow snaps that dangling thread of resilience.

Anyone who experiences panic attacks can display it in any number of unique ways. It could be shown in small bursts of rage that an individual throws for a weeks stretch of time. 

For Mike Wheeler, panic attacks tended to only happen on rare occasions. He usually could anticipate when this annual occurrence was approaching. He actually found that one of his biggest fears was the idea that there would come a time where these moments of emotional drainage would eventually be enough to send his significant other packing. 

However, Mike was proud to acknowledge that he hadn’t felt overwhelmed with panic in quite some time. Things were going excellent, so well in fact that reality sometimes felt too euphoric to be real.

The year was a quarter of the way through and each day came with new beams of light. Like his and El’s daughter, Willow, who was now a bouncing, bubbly nine month old baby.

Right now, it felt like nothing could knock him down. As long as El continued looking at him with immense passion as she confided in him about her successful case load and as long as Willow continued taking short steps, always getting closer to reaching the stars created to shine for her; then there could never be anything to set him back.

What Mike seemed to overlook was his work’s ability to bring him down so low that he felt pathetic. It was a similar experience to being bullied by his childhood nemesis, only this time, he needed to suffer silently through these battles in order to continue providing for his family.

Ever since he had taken on the responsibility of being a full time writer that worked solely from home, stress never seemed to possess him as much. He was able to look after his daughter and accomplish a new chapter biweekly. 

Everything felt right. Well, at least until he was contacted one Wednesday afternoon regarding his recently submitted final draft.

“Wheeler, I don’t know what to tell you. We can publish this novel as it is since you seem to have full confidence in it. But I have to admit, it just feels lame. Three nerds searching for their fourth art inclined friend that went missing? I—“, a representative from his publisher’s office, Jack, went to continue degrading his hard work, but was interrupted by Willow’s abrupt cries.

Mike could feel the repressed annoyance beneath Jack’s aggravated sigh as he rapidly explained, “duty calls. Excuse me for a few minutes.”

He overheard the greasy publishing dunce mutter something that sounded rather grotesque as he settled his squirming daughter into her indoor swing that rocked back and forth in a relaxing manner. Mike then danced his long fingers across his daughter’s stomach which caused her cries to churn into a giddy fit of laughter. Another moment later, he watched as Willow’s honey brown eyes gave in to sleep.

The proud dad took a moment to bask in how fast he was able to soothe his briefly unhappy baby, but soon remembered what an unfortunate conversation he had just been having. 

He took a few long strides back to the phone and apologized, “I’m sorry about that. As you were saying, about the story?”

“Yeah, the story. Real quick though — your work ethic. You only work from home now, right? Ever since you had the kid?” Jack questioned with clear disapproval.

Mike furrowed his brows as his lips firmly frowned, “not that it’s really necessary to clarify, but yeah, that’s right. I look after my daughter and write or edit while she naps. It’s the best of both worlds.” Then, before he could stop himself, he found it crucial to add, “as a matter of fact, this is probably the place where my best work is born.”

Without even a beat to take a breath, Jack wittily fired back, “I would say the opposite. Seems your priorities are becoming misguided, just like this story. Three boys look for a friend, only to find a girl. Coincidentally, this girl has magical abilities that eventually lead them back to their friend. Let’s not forget to mention that the weird girl ends up with the king of the lame crew. I know you’re a science fiction writer, but this is headed towards becoming a bargain brand fairytale. At least that’s what half of this company believes. The other half are on board with you. So one last time, Mr. Wheeler, is this the version you would like us to have published by this summer?”

While Jack had failed to hold back on his most vile, inconsiderate thoughts, Mike had been biting down on his tongue so terribly hard that he was beginning to taste crimson iron.

Forgetting all of the doubt and ill intended comments that this sick man had just made about the beautifully written novel, what struck a cord most harshly was what had been alluded to about Mike’s priorities. About his love, his life. 

At that moment, the temper that he had once carried as an adolescent began boiling and was surely not going to be contained. 

“I am very apologetic that you are miserable enough to not recognize that my family comes way before this career. You have no say in any of that considering I do my job and I do my job damn well while assuring my family is happy and healthy,” Mike took a ragged breath to collect himself, but failed as he sneered, “publish my art the way it is. If it bombs, at least it’s my honest best work. I will wait and see the reviews for myself from critics that have souls unlike yourself. Is that a clear enough plan for you to understand?”

There was a moment of distinctly painful silence that led up to Jack’s response, “crystal clear,” Mike swore he could hear the man’s teeth grinding with aggression as he carried on, “I just noted that this is confirmed to push through publishing. Congratulations, Mr. Wheeler. I look forward to seeing how audiences react to your bald headed freak of nature.”

Before Mike got the chance to release even more hell, his ears winced in realization that there was now a crackling sound echoing from the telephone. A signature notice of the line no longer being active. 

After hanging up the phone and checking in on Willow, Mike began to wordlessly pace around the apartment. He can tell he’s going to breakdown in a fit of tears, both from frustration and disappointment.

Awhile later, after the sun had begun to set, he felt his feet mechanically wander over to the refrigerator where he could pour himself water. He was attempting to pick up his refreshment when his mind recalled the degrading messages that repulsive human had spoken against a character that represented the love of his life. He shook his head trying to get that taunting tone that was murmuring, ‘bald headed freak of nature’, to leave his mind. Just as his shaking hands managed to grip the cold glass, his consciousness replayed, ‘king of the nerds’. 

Mike barely even noticed that the glass had slipped from his clammy hold as he watches the glass shatter at his feet in slow motion. That moment was all it took to break the remaining tranquility.

His chest ached as the sobs withheld began working their way up to his throat, seemingly clawing their way upward to find freedom. His salty tears were now falling rapidly, almost too fast for him to rub away completely. 

He can barely register that his daughter is awoken once again and is wailing along with him, as if his pain is being shared with her.

Just as he bends down to busy himself with cleaning the glassy mess he’s made, he feels his body freeze in its place. His ears notice something new first, and that discovery is a man’s voice calmly shushing his daughter. The second realization comes when his eyes, still blurred from the wetness clouding his vision, snap forward to see his favorite figure.

Prior to El even comforting Mike, she first makes a sweeping motion with her left hand, using her powers to dispose of the glass that dangerously laid dormant on the floor.

“Baby... what happened to you? Come here,” she cooed lovingly.

It takes less than a complete second for Mike’s shock to fade, falling right back into his panic ridden state. His dark curls move in a flash as he buries his head in the crook of his wife’s neck, hoping that her comforting smell will ease the disturbing state he has found himself in. Although this actually works, the relaxation he finds from being held leaves his legs unsteady.

Almost as if El’s just read his mind, she calls to her father across the room, “I’m going to take him into our room. Please watch her and feed her the bottle that’s in the fridge. Make yourself some coffee if you would like too.”

“I’m on it, kid,” Hopper confirmed while continuing to bounce the baby that’s attached to his hip.

El worked diligently to situate Mike’s arm across her shoulder. Although she tries to carry most of his weight, she soon recognizes that she can’t manage his towering height on her own. Subtly, so that he hopefully doesn’t notice, Eleven ignites her powers again so that she can essentially levitate him into their bed.

Right as she finished laying him down, she gently aligned her body directly over his. El is kind of an expert when it comes to his panic attacks. She knows that the feeling of her weight on top of him is all that is needed to steady him. She’s also aware that speaking any more in this moment would only overwhelm him. So, she does what she knows will work. She remains completely still aside from the movement created by her hand massaging through his scalp. 

According to the clock sitting upon their bedside table, only eight minutes have passed before Mike finds his voice.

“I broke the glass. I.. I wanted to have water to keep this from happening, but I dropped the glass. El, I dropped it. I broke it,” he muttered while staring up at the ceiling.

His plans of averting from her graze become foiled when her cool palm rests on his cheek. Her soothing voice nearly demanded for his attention as she spoke, “it was just a little spill. So little that it’s already gone. It’s okay.”

His mind, currently clogged with self deprecating thoughts, somehow gets hung up on this idea. A spill. A tiny, insignificant spill. One that he caused to happen. That spill, if only he had kept himself silenced, could have been avoided entirely. The spill would have never existed.

“I made a massive mess. One that I think could hurt our family, El. I am ashamed of myself. I can be so.. stupid,” he whimpered as his chest became unbearably tight.

“You could never be stupid, Mike. You’re the most brilliant man I’ll ever know. There is no mess, no matter how big or small, that could harm our family. I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I know that our family is going to be perfectly fine. I promise,” she assured with quiet certainty that caused her husband to shiver.

His dark brown eyes began to sting as the salty residue built back up. He couldn’t control his voice from shaking when he said, “publisher called today. He hated the story, said half of them think it’s going to go nowhere. He said the story is a dumb fairytale and that readers will review it terribly.”

Mike cut his own self off for once, not knowing if telling her the full truth would upset her as well.

“I already have something to say about all that, but I can tell there’s more. It’s okay, babe. Take your time,” came El’s stoic voice.

He took a ragged breath after noting that his wife must seriously have the ability to read his mind. He busied himself by tracing lines along Eleven’s lower back where her sweater had ridden up as he found the courage to continue.

“Jack, the publisher, said things about the characters. He mentioned a bald headed freak and alluded to it being too pathetic to believe that the king of the nerds would end up in a relationship. He also said some things about my personal work ethic, that it seemed like me being a full time writer and full time dad is useless.. that I can’t do either correctly,” his voice cracked as he finished speaking.

Mike was on the verge of becoming hysteric when he suddenly felt his wife shaking against him. He looked down and saw that her face was hidden against his abdomen. Fear snarled at his gut as he imagined her breaking down.

“El? What’s wrong?” his voice was laced with concern as he questioned what had effected her.

As quickly as his worries had come, it seemed that they were extinguished just as fast. His wife peaked her head back up and he immediately noted that she had a grin plastered upon her face.

“I’m sorry, I just,” she took a moment to stop her laughter, “bald headed freak? King of the nerds? Jesus, Jack the Jackass sounds like he’s living a sad, lonely life and is jealous of this epic love story.”

Mike’s eyebrows shot up and disappeared behind his shaggy hair. She was laughing? At the rude comments this man had said about their story? He was going to ask for more clarification, but she chose then to expand on her explanation.

“Also, whatever he had to say about your work and parenting is irrelevant. You’re doing an amazing job, baby. As long as your are content and happy, that’s what matters. Can I ask you some questions?” she probed further.

Mike hesitantly nodded his head as she presented question number one, “are you happy with the story you made?”

“Yeah, I am. I felt proud of it and thought I made it come to life in a way that readers could connect to,” he confessed.

Moving right to her second question, she asked, “do you enjoy working from home? Writing and editing here in this atmosphere while our daughter shares the same space?”

There wasn’t a moment to breathe before Mike answered, “of course I enjoy working here. It’s where I do my best work. I can feel your presence, which inspires me. Plus, I get to keep an eye on my daughter while doing what I love. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

“Okay, one more,” she spoke in clear curiosity, “if you could change anything, and I mean anything at all, would you?”

Even though it was a loaded proposal, the idea to change anything whatsoever, Mike still didn’t take more than a few seconds to decide.

“No. Everything that’s happened got me here. It all got us here. I would not change a thing. Not now and not ever. This is the life I dreamed of since I was young, nothing could be better.”

El seemed to mull over exactly what her husband had just responded with. She agreed wholeheartedly with his statements, noting that every hardship they have faced got them to the blissful set up they are living amongst today.

Mike felt his wife lean her forehead against his own and absorbed the warmth of her breath as she said, “you did the right thing, Mike. I can’t make you believe it, but you already know deep down that this story is worthwhile and will be successful. After all, it is our story. We worked out perfectly fine, just as everything else will. I promise.”

And just like that, the fog that once clouded his panic muddled brain had dissipated. Mike knew he made the correct decision, as he should have known an hour ago. Regardless of what happens with the book’s success, El was right. He will always have his family and their story of how they evolved.

“God, I’m sorry. I love you. Thank you for being you and loving me. I’m sorry for being dramati—“ Mike had attempted to continue apologizing for his behavior, knowing that if he had seen El in the middle of a panic attack that he would not have handled it as well as she just had, but his apology was cut short.

El’s lips worked unmercifully against his own, pulling his mouth apart gently so that they could exchange the taste of one another. He had just allowed himself to contently moan as he gripped the bare skin of her waist when someone’s throat suddenly cleared from behind them.

“Uh, yeah, this is a no,” Hopper said in a strained tone before continuing, “You two may be married and have given me a grandchild, but nope, no more right now.”

El had just chuckled in response as she dragged her body off of her husband’s, who whimpered once she had detached herself from his now empty arms.

As soon as Mike’s mind was no longer focused on the silky texture of his wife, his eyes found themselves pulled towards the other most important girl in his life. Willow was still attached to Hopper’s waist, but now had a wondrous expression on her face. 

Hopper stepped further into the room, but felt the air he was breathing become heavy as the sound of an unfamiliar voice rang excitedly.

“Dada,” Willow squeaked while reaching her arms outward, searching for her father’s hold.

The three present adults all shared a look before hearing more. 

“Dada... dada!” and just like that, their stunned trances were shattered.

“Her first word! Oh my god! Her first word, Mike! She said dad! She knows who her daddy is,” gushed El who was now releasing tears of joy.

As Hop approached Mike he spoke tightly, “can’t spend time with you people, always making me cry. She’s a daddy’s girl.”

Willow was then placed in the loving care of her father’s arms and continued to murmur incomprehensibly. Mike, now awoken from his overwhelmed state of emotion, was brought back to earth when he felt his daughter’s little hand grip his pointer finger. He briefly shared an absolutely cheek bursting grin with his own flesh and blood before he glanced at El, who was peering over his shoulder.

“Are you mad about her first word being dad? I feel bad,” Mike said with mild guilt.

Eleven quickly shook her head, “absolutely not. Besides, maybe our next kid will decide to say mama first,” she winked and finished with, “either way, I’m happy. So happy.”

In that moment, Michael Wheeler felt himself swoon as he fell in love with his wife all over again. He watched as she rested her chin against his shoulder as she lovingly stared at the half asleep baby. Long forgotten was the panic attack that he had experienced not even fifteen minutes ago. 

The raw feeling of love propelled itself forward and Mike found himself speaking without awareness, “let’s have another baby, like now. I love our family as it is, but let’s have another.”

El giggled into her hand, just like she had done when she was a teenager, but her laughter was soon lost as her father interrupted again.

“Jesus Christ, I’m leaving. I love you both. El, thanks for lunch. Let’s make that a monthly thing that we do. Wheeler, glad to see you’re feeling better. Uh.. have a good night?” the large man finished with an uncomfortable farewell.

Hopper had just turned to leave the couple’s bedroom when he felt his daughter collide with his back. “I’ll always be your little girl, no matter how big my family gets,” she spoke in quiet assurance.

Hop just patted her hand lovingly and said, “I know. I love you, kid,” he ruffled her hair and saw himself out.

Following her father’s departure, El speedily moved back towards bed, launching herself without grace right beside Mike. She lazily threw one arm behind her head and let her other hand rest on her stomach. She allowed her dainty fingers to leave nimble circles across her belly, reacquainting herself with the stretch marks that have lived among her body since the birth of Willow. She happily sighed, content with herself and the changes her body have made to accommodate some of life’s greatest changes.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she had failed to even notice Mike laying Willow down on her chest. 

Mike was merely observing the two of them again when Eleven asked, “are you sure you’re okay? We can talk about it some more or I could make you your favorite meal. Whatever you need, baby.”

Prior to responding to her question, Mike dragged his finger along her lower lip, watching in fascination as she pressed a kiss to his thumb in return. 

“I am... completely okay. I feel better than anyone could ever imagine. You said it yourself, we’ll always be okay. You, me, and her. Plus whoever is left to come in our family. We’ll always be okay,” he declared.

To solidify his final message, he pulled El back into a strong kiss, rekindling the moment that had been ruined moments earlier. He had begun creeping down his wife’s neck when he seemingly remembered the fellow party member that was dreaming between his lover’s breasts.

“Hmm.. put her to bed and then come back here?” she proposed serenely.

Mike then delicately nestled his daughter back into his arms as he dashed into the peaceful nursery. He left a soft peck upon Willow’s head as he laid her down into her crib and whispered, “daddy loves you.”

Then, all within thirty seconds, Mike found himself back in the same space as his wife. He had just lightly placed himself on top of her before chillingly speaking against the hollow of her ear, “where exactly were we, Mrs. Wheeler?”

He heard her breath hitch as she responded, “I believe you are the writer in this family, Mr. Wheeler, so you tell me. What’s our next chapter look like?”

He pondered, processing the senses that seemed to awaken as he said, “I can’t explain it, but I think our next chapter is going to be the most adventurous. I feel like we’re going to accomplish amazing things; as individuals, as partners, and as parents. I just feel like there’s another part of life we are going to enter and it’s going to be incredible. Everything will always be perfect because it’s us.”

El leveled her head with Mike’s and whispered, “it’s always going to be us.”

The two grown adults lost themselves in that moment, never once removing each other from the passion they had shared. Only taking miniature breaks to allow room for breathing.

There was no more panic. No more lingering negativity stirred by doubts. The only thing that remained was the purest form of wholesome love.  
—————————————  
It was several weeks later that El had returned home early, clutching a few items in her hand. 

The largest prize that was currently in her grip was a framed collage she had recently made. More specifically, it was a mash up of all the excellent reviews that had poured in after his book’s publishing. The novel exceeded every single wasteoid’s low expectations, yet, it had perfectly met with the goals the couple had dreamt it would.

After assuring that her artistic creation was placed safely on their counter, Eleven’s attention was then averted fully towards the other item.

A pink petite box withholding a dainty device that just might be the key that opens their family’s next chapter.

El immediately darted towards the bathroom and addressed what needed to be done. She then found herself pacing a slow path that followed along the lines in the tiles beneath her bare feet.

She sneakily peeked over at the device to her left, not expecting to already have an answer, and found herself grinning brightly.

El placed her hand against her lower abdomen and directed her words to the new upcoming adventure, “it’s us. It’s you, your sister, your daddy, and I.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please forgive me for not posting my best work! I promise good things are coming, as I will be on a break from mid December - January and will be taking the time to write better quality oneshots.   
> So please, if you will, stick around!  
> Wishing you all the best <3


	13. Those Christmas Lights (1990)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the most wonderful time of the year! However, it’s also the time where the common cold and other flu-like germs lurk for victims.   
> In other words, El gets a cold and Mike is overwhelmingly worried about her condition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: so much FLUFF. I don’t have an angsty bone in my body.

Mike and El had a funny way of paving a unique path for themselves. In fact, doing things untraditionally had become one of their most perfected crafts. 

Every other incoming university freshman found themselves holed up in prison like dorms living off packs of microwave noodles. Thankfully, the couple was not suffering within that scenario as they had planned far in advanced to immediately move in with one another following their high school graduation. And with Hopper’s assistance, that plan became reality. 

El’s protective father figured that if he himself could not keep an eye on his daughter at all times, that she would at least be just as safe under the boy’s heart eyed gaze.

While Hop had offered to pay for all expenses during their first year, El was hellbent on getting a job so her and Mike could afford the rent on their own. And true to her word, that’s exactly what she did. Each morning and afternoon, Eleven would work at a local daycare facility. Her main duty was to simply entertain the audience she gathered. Yet, she managed to do much more than that.

It seemed as though she was a child magnet. Infants, toddlers, and beyond were simply gravitated towards her warm nature. There must have been some quality about her that made the children relax and feel safe within her presence. It was almost as if Miss Ellie was a mystical princess taken straight out of the pages of a fairytale.

A few months into working there, Eleven noticed a pattern forming. As the weather grew colder, more kids were absent. The festive holidays were approaching rapidly, almost as fast as the common cold and flu seeped through the children’s immunity. 

One day while she was reading the Grinch to the remaining group of boys and girls, she felt a palm lightly yank on her bosom. When she looked down, she was greeted by big doe eyes.

“Ellie, I don’t feel nice,” whined a three year old boy named Henry.

El quickly put the book down and laid the back of her hand against the boy’s forehead, immediately recognizing that he definitely caught whatever infection was bouncing around.

“Your mommy will be here soon and before you know it, you’ll be home under fluffy blankets. Then you’ll get to watch your favorite movies and eat warm soup until you’re feeling good as new. I promise,” she cooed assurances, hoping to make him feel more at ease for the time being.

She went to pick the book back up, figuring it would serve as a good distraction, but felt a small hand lay flat against her own, “can you hug me until mommy is here? I want to feel better in time for Santa next week.”

For the remaining two hours of her shift, Eleven held on tightly to Henry. Then, after passing him along into the arms of his mother, she was on her way.

Normally, El loved her walks back home. She would essentially float while listening to the calming lull of distant traffic that echoed from the heart of the city. But this time, her head felt off-centered. The noise she heard wasn’t very welcoming at all, rather it felt like an assault on her congested skull. Making matters worse, she felt her throat beginning to swell, limiting her ability to breathe exponentially. She had just reached her apartment building when she recognized that even the light from the street lamps were starting to unnerve her.

Eleven stumbled towards her and Mike’s apartment, looking forward to burrowing herself away from anything that could throw her senses further out of whack.

However, when she unlatched the hinges to their front door, her vision clouded. Her boyfriend, who was standing underneath multiple strands of glowing Christmas lights, grinned at her happily.

“Babe! Look, I set up some of the Christmas decorations! I haven’t gotten a tree yet, but this is what I’ve done so far! What do you think?” he giddily questioned. 

Actually, he was so joyful from the surprise he had set up, that he failed to notice his girlfriend’s swaying form.

“Mike, I’m not feeling so goo—“ and before she finished her sentence, she fainted right there beneath the mistletoe that was hanging above the threshold.

Mike, now consumed with sheer panic, abandoned all logic and jumped over their living room couch as if he was completing the hurtles event in a track meet. 

He immediately reached his sweet, beloved girlfriend and laid his head against her chest. 

“El! Baby, wake up! Come on, El,” he pleaded as he gripped her shoulders; hoping and praying to any lively force possible for her to be okay, but soon found himself in shock.

El’s breathing, while completely stable and consistent, declared that she was locked within a deep slumber. He was made aware of her sleep ridden state when her mouth released a light snore.

Mike allowed relief to briefly take over as he let go of the aching breath that he was holding onto. She always kept him on his toes, but this.. this was something he had never seen her do. He knew that something still wasn’t right, so he took a moment to examine her for any outstanding injuries.

After he assured her body was intact and that she was okay, he gently lifted her off of the oakwood flooring. Then, as he walked to their bedroom, he heard her snore once more.

And it was that moment, with that specific snore, that he realized he had heard this before.

Back in 1987, El had gotten her first flu. Her body had never been exposed to such an unsettling virus, so it truly took a toll on her. Dr. Owens even needed to come by the house during that sickness to assure her body was getting proper fluids.

As soon as Mike recalled that her body might be in a state of dehydration, he panicked further. So, he made the second most drastic phone call he could have in that moment. The phone teased him by playing the dial tone several times before someone finally picked up. 

“Hello?” came a familiar voice that represented serenity.

“Joyce? Hey, it’s Mike. Um, El’s sick. I mean, I think she’s really sick. She passed out as soon as she came through our front door and hasn’t woken up, but she’s doing the snorkeling snore she did when she got the flu a few years ago, so I know she’s sick, I mean.. she’s just sick, I think. What if something else is wrong? Do you think she’s si—,” for the one millionth time in Mike’s life, he found his rambling being cut off.

“Michael. Yes, I remember when she was sick. Sounds like you’re right. What would you like me to do for you though? I can bring cold medicine and make my homemade soup so that when she wakes up it’s all ready for her,” Joyce lovingly supplied him with a concrete care plan.

However, Mike’s overwhelmed mind had other ideas. His thoughts may have seemed rash to others, but he himself found that it all made sense.

“Joyce, that’s really generous of you to offer, but I was actually hoping to get in contact with Hopper for Dr. Owen’s phone number. Last time she needed that IV drip to boost her immune system and to make sure she was hydrated, so I thought I would just make that call now,” he declared, seemingly unaware of how above and beyond this plan was.

Joyce made a humming noise, one that likely represented her mentally processing how she could kindly tell him he was being dramatic.

“Mike, I—“, she began sweetly, but was interrupted by a booming voice that was now present on the phone line. 

“Wheeler, are you bugging my wife? She’s got her famous pinched eyebrows going on and now I’m wondering if I have to kick your ass,” Hopper berated sarcastically.

Mike was just about to speak when he heard what he assumed was Joyce’s dainty fist landing a playful punch to the broad man’s shoulder.

“Seriously kid, what’s up?” Hop questioned.

“El is sick. She fainted when she walked in and she’s doing the snore thing like she did years ago. Can you give me Dr. Owens number? I want to get ahead of this,” Mike claimed once more, his scattered mind still moving a mile a minute.

Then, instead of receiving a response, he overheard the married couple whispering to one another. Although he tried, he couldn’t intelligently make out exactly what they were saying.

Thirty seconds later, a deep sigh came through, “look, she’s going to be okay. Do you have cold medicine? And maybe a cool wash cloth for her head? I—“ Hopper’s logical recommendations were now abruptly stopped by the maddeningly worried young man.

“Can I just have the number? This is ridiculous! The longer we wait, the more sick she’s going to get. Am I the only one worried about her!? I don’t want her to sleep for days again. I don’t want her laying in that bed looking like a corpse. I’m not going through this again. Last time, you saw her! Hop, you and Joyce both saw that she looked just like she did after the gate! So, please, if you care about her, please give me the damn number!” Mike’s pent up worries swarmed free from his chest as tears began to cascade down his face.

The phone line picked up a chattering noise as whispers were exchanged once more. Mike was so busy focusing on what the two of them were saying that he failed to realize that his girlfriend’s snoring concluded two minutes ago. He didn’t even seem to feel the presence that was now inching towards him.

“Wheeler—“ he didn’t hear what Hop had to say after his surname, as the phone was no longer within his grasp.

There, standing beside him, was his abnormally pale girlfriend. In Mike’s eyes, she appeared completely frail. The haunting memories of the condition he had seen her in after the gate and during her first flu impacted what he was seeing now. 

El tried to speak, testing if her words would actually be vocal, “dad?”

“Hi, sweetie. It’s dad and I! How are you feeling?” came Joyce’s naturally compassionate tone.

Eleven hummed and cackled lightly, “not great, but not like last time. I think it might just be a cold because it’s only my head, nose, and throat. I’m just going to have lots of water and soup.”

“Do you have medicine there? That will definitely help. I think that’s another reason why last time was so bad, because we didn’t want to push you to take medicine since it made you think of the lab,” her dad paused, collecting himself before continuing, “but we know better this time. So, medicine? Is it available?”

“Hmm.. I don’t think so. I can go run to the store though, it’s just a block away and I’m feeling okay,” El chimed casually, as if she hadn’t just fainted less than an hour ago.

All of the present parties chorused at once, “NO!”

El seemingly shrunk back at the verbal response, but was brought back to the present when Mike’s hands caressed her flushed cheeks.

“El, you need to go back to bed. I’m going to get Dr. Owens to come give you what he did last time. And if I can’t get his information, we can go somewhere else, okay love?” he informed her carefully while hoping to convince her to follow his sterile plan.

Then, before Mike could see karma coming, all of the present parties returned the declining chorus directed at him, “no!”

“Can I call you two in the morning? I’ll let you know how I’m feeling after I rest and will let you know if I need anything,” El proposed to her parents who were still huddled around their telephone.

“Sounds good, kid. In the meantime though, one of us will be over in the next two hours to drop off soup and medicine. That okay?” Hop propositioned.

“It’s a deal. You guys have a key, so if we’re asleep, just make yourselves at home. We love you both,” El concluded peacefully.

Once the phone was back on it’s hook, Eleven turned around and took in the sight of her boyfriend. His posture was slouched and his facial expression appeared defeated. She crossed the space between them carefully, assuring that her equilibrium remained secure. She placed herself as close to him as possible by pressing her chest up to his while her hands raked across his scalp.

“I know you’re worried. I’m sorry my body still isn’t used to this whole thing yet, but it’s getting there. It’s just a cold I picked up from the kids. I am going to be fine,” she spoke as normally as possible, but the congestion still made her sound a tad nasally.

Mike sniffled as he brought her head into the crook of his neck. It was when he had felt her settle in his hold that his cries erupted. He choked upon his sobs, suffocating on the concerns he carried. He had no idea how much time had passed before he was able to speak.

“I was so scared. I’m still really scared. I don’t want to lose you, especially not to something like a cold. Can we please go see a doctor in a hospital setting so you could get the IV drip? It made you better last time, remember? I just want you to be better now,” he whimpered, pleading until he was nearly out of breath.

Mike felt her chin angle against his collarbone, signaling that she was looking up at him. When he met her eyes, he saw that she was still sporting her usual honey brown orbs. 

“Baby, no. That’s not necessary this time. Alls I need is to eat, stay hydrated, and sleep. I’ll be better in no time. And before you know it, we’ll be able to enjoy this Christmas wonderland you set up!” she said as cheerfully as possible, trying not to allow her sickness to speak for her.

He meekly chuckled, “my holiday decorations made you faint. I suck at surprises,” he spoke pitifully.

El released a hearty giggle in response, knowing that the worst was over. Yes, she has a damn awful cold, but everything will be okay. Soon, she got choked up on her own laughter, and spiraled into a coughing fit. Mike, as somber and worried as ever, scooped her up and delivered her back to bed.

“Stay here. I’m going to get water. Do not move, you are now on bedrest until I say you’re well enough to move on your own!” he claimed while sprinting back into the kitchen.

An hour later the couple found themselves peacefully curled up into one another. Mike had brought a strand of rainbow lights into their bedroom and spread them out upon their ceiling. El was fixated on the multiple different colors, seemingly lost in a trance. Meanwhile, Mike’s eyes were only set on her. Even when she was sick, she somehow shined brighter than any possible object.

He watched in adoration as she began falling asleep, but his thoughts and her path to slumber were rattled by a voice in their bedroom doorway.

“Just wanted to say all the Christmas lights in this place triggered my PTSD and I thought a Demogorgon was going to burst through your wall,” the mystery man dryly stated.

“Steve!?” the couple spat in unison. 

While Mike remained laying down, he watched as his girlfriend flew out of bed and straight into the man’s open arms.

Steve embraced her strongly while steering her back to bed, “I’m happy to see you, little lady. But your boyfriend here looks like he’s about to pop a blood vessel, so how about you stick to laying down?”

Mike groaned and covered his face with his hands as he grumbled, “Steve, what the hell are you doing here?”

“Uh, I think I’m bringing my Ellie some of Joyce’s homemade soup and a stack of cold medicines to get her nice and loopy. I stopped by their house earlier to borrow batteries, and somehow the Mr. and Mrs. convinced me to be their errand boy,” the man with beautiful hair fired back quickly.

“But Wheels, don’t act like you’re not excited to see me. You know you love me.”

Before Mike could even wittily respond, he felt himself being pulled into a bone crushing embrace. After he was released, Mike remembered that he should be kind. So he bit back his pride and said, “thanks for coming out, Steve. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it, little Wheeler. I’m going to split now so I can meet Dustin at the movies. Don’t want him thinking I’m breaking tradition. Feel better, Ellie! See you both next week for the holiday bash!” Steve spoke enthusiastically as he glided out of the couple’s bedroom.

“Bye, Stevie!” El croaked as loudly as she possibly could just as their apartment door clicked shut once more.

Shortly after their flamboyant visitor had trampled through their tranquil state, Mike found himself hustling to arrange his girlfriend a bowl of soup. Then, after fussing over her and making sure everything was how she wanted; he settled in beside her, watching her every move to assure she was eating and drinking everything he had laid out for her.

Between spoon fulls of noodly goodness, El looked over at her boyfriend and quirked her eyebrow, “Mike, I’m not going to evaporate in thin air. Please relax.”

In response, he leaned forward and caught her spoonful of soup in his mouth. He cautiously gauged her reaction, seeing as her mouth was now opened wide in offense.

She scratchily chirped, “Mike! You’re going to get sick! Don’t do that!”

Rather than answer her verbally, he swooped his head down low and began kissing her gently. He felt her gasp and took advantage of her slightly parted mouth by tracing his tongue lightly along her lower lip. After receiving a groan in response, he continued smoothly kissing her with passion.

A few moments later, El pulled back to sneeze, “ugh, you’re going to get sick. I’m sorry.”

Mike watched in complete, lovesick awe as her plump lips formed the most precious pout. He reached forward and placed a few free strands of hair behind her ear, allowing his long fingers to rest on her jaw.

“I don’t care if I get sick. I’ll always kiss you whenever I have a chance to,” he solidified his message by placing a lingering kiss upon her forehead. 

El then set aside the remains of her soup and contently slumped down beneath the cloud like blankets, “cuddle me, please?” she quietly requested.

Without even a second passing, she felt his silent answer as he settled into place against her back. Soon after, she felt his fingers trace circular patterns against her stomach.

Just as she gave into sleep, she felt him mutter affectionately upon the hollow of her ear, “I love you.”

And even though she was practically sound asleep; somehow, even in her unconscious state, her body knew to respond back with the honest truth, “I love you, so much.”

————————————-

When El woke up the following morning, she felt that familiar form still snuggly fit along her backside. She allowed herself a moment to release a satisfactory sigh at the warmth he provided. And as she slowly cracked her eyes open, she took a mental note of two things that caught her attention. 

First, the Christmas lights were still illuminated. Except now, they were mingling with the light of the rising sun. The second thing she recognized was that she definitely needed to use the restroom.

“Too much water,” she muttered while softly escaping from her boyfriend’s strong hold.

She had only gotten herself into a sitting position when she heard a voice grumble, “where are you going, love?”

Eleven looked over her left shoulder, taking in the sight of Mike’s messy curls that were scattered beautifully across his pillow.

“Just the bathroom. I’ll be right back though,” she whispered.

Her bare feet had just made contact with the cool flooring when she suddenly felt herself swept into a strong embrace.

She glanced up at Mike with confusion, but received the answer to her question when he punctually claimed, “I was serious about the bedrest thing. Until you’re feeling better, I will be the only mode of transportation you need.” 

Rather than fight against how silly he was being, she meekly accepted the predicament she found herself in by craning forward so she could peck his exposed neck.

The couple wasn’t aware of what would unfold in the days to come, but El would be recovered within three days time. The bounce in her step returned and her senses fully recalibrated.

On the other hand, Mike would be experiencing day two of his cold. And as much as he had worried for El’s condition, he would soon recognize that she frets over him with just as much concern.

It was only a few days until Christmas Eve and Eleven could tell Mike’s holiday spirit was depleted. Taking matters into her own hands, she decided to set up a surprise of her own while he napped away his remaining ounce of sickness. 

She glanced over everything one more time before grinning widely. El then skipped over to her bedroom and flung herself down on-top of the lanky form that was slumbering beneath a pile of blankets.

“I heard you prancing down the hall and had a chance to brace myself for this. What’s got you so giddy, babe?” Mike murmured curiously.

El reached down and lovingly graced his lips with her own before asking, “are you feeling well enough to come out to the living room? There’s something I want to show you.”

“Hmm.. I suppose I could be persuaded,” he responded with suspicion.

Knowing what he wanted, Eleven kissed him again, this time allowing him to take dominance. She nearly got lost in the moment until recalling what she had disturbed him for in the first place.

“Please, come with me,” she proposed against his soft lips.

In no time, Mike and El were walking hand in hand towards their living room. And as soon as he saw what she had done, he gasped and threw his arms around her. 

“You got a tree! And you put the lights on it yourself! El, it’s beautiful. I love this so much, thank you,” he childishly gushed with pure joy and adoration.

“I figured it would help you make a speedier recovery if you had some Christmas spirit to distract you. Do you feel well enough to help me put ornaments on it?” she asked, already knowing the answer as his dark brown eyes lit up brighter than any decorative display she had ever seen.

“Yes! God, I love you. You know, this is our first Christmas living together. We should do something to celebrate!” he presented with glee.

“I guess our celebration should depend on whether you’ve been naughty or nice. Mike, have you been a good boy?” she questioned suggestively.

Eleven giggled as his pupils blew and he began to stutter, “I-I was thinking we could just decorate stockings together... but I like this idea.. I like this so much better.”

Without even saying anything more, Mike found the strength to haul El’s tiny frame over his shoulder while racing back towards the safety of their room. 

That afternoon, the tree was left bare without any added decorations. The couple remained in bed simply embracing one another as they looked up at the Christmas lights still hanging above them.

Based on the experiences they encountered within the past week, the two actually developed newfound comfort within Christmas lights; as there is still a set of them that remains strung up around each of the apartment’s frames.

In fact, hanging lights crazily upon each square inch of their home becomes a family tradition. One that doesn’t just happen each holiday.

Every time one of their children gets a cold, the parents goofily display strands of Christmas lights upon their child’s ceiling. Assuring that they have the colorful display to guide them back to health.

Sure, it’s silly. But it’s something that the Wheeler family finds solace within. It’s the start of their first family tradition. And to think it all began with that holiday cold in 1990.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this! It somehow just came spewing out of me scarily fast and before I knew what had happened there was over 4,000 words of holiday fluff. I cannot be tamed.   
> As always, please comment and leave kudos as you wish! Gosh, I’ve missed writing so dearly.   
> Sending you all warmth! <3


	14. A Bit of a Pickle (1995)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike and Eleven attempt to fulfill her pregnancy cravings, but run into a creep along the way.  
> (otherwise known as, protective/mildly jealous Mike + badass El).

It had almost been a month since El shared the news of her pregnancy with Mike. She was approximately ten weeks along, meaning that their baby was probably the size of an adorable summer strawberry. 

Currently, the married couple was meandering around their local grocery store to stock up on all the things El was constantly craving.

Regardless of the warm weather, one of the things she needed in their home at all times was hot chocolate. On top of that, they had to assure they had an adequate amount of caramel sauce to pile into the beverage. In Mike’s opinion, the cocktail she had created made an eggo extravaganza seem like it lacked sugar. But as long as his wife’s cravings were being satisfied and her demeanor remained pleasant, then he could learn to love the sickeningly sweet concoction.

Mike was watching El practically skip down the isle and found himself lost in a trance. It was as if he had complete tunnel vision and the only thing he could visibly see was his ray of sunshine.

Yet, his one track mind was rattled when he heard her squeal, “They have a big jar of dill pickle spears, but I can’t reach!”

He had to suppress a giggle as she began leaping upward like a giddy toddler attempting to reach a forbidden cookie jar. He took a stride forward to end the show she was putting on, however, it seemed that someone had beat him to it.

El felt a foreign touch rest on the curve of her waist and watched as a tanned arm retrieved her novelty prized pickles. Then, a set of unfamiliar blue eyes met her own.

“And the winner of the last jar of speared pickles goes to the absolutely lovely..” the man trailed off, seeking Eleven’s name.

However, it was a name he would not get that day as her fuming husband towered over the duo.

Mike essentially smacked the guy’s hand off of her hip and spoke with unhidden venom, “thank you very much for helping out my wife. What an award winning gentleman.”

Without skipping a beat, the idiot responded having seemed to miss the raven haired man’s aggression, “wouldn’t let a pretty thing like this one struggle to do anything on her own. I’m honestly not sure if she caught my eye as she jumped relentlessly or if it was just her natural glow that got me.”

Eleven took notice of the pure rage that had swarmed over Mike’s features, realizing that the grip he had on the shopping cart could probably bend the metal at any moment. He had never been able to manage jealousy well, and for some reason, the idea of another man picking out pickles for his wife made him internally rage.

“Thanks for your help. Have a good one,” El stated cooly as she basically ripped the jar out of the man’s grasp.

“It was my pleasure, sunshine. See you around,” he said with a wink and exited the isle, which is good, because he had just nearly found himself on the receiving end of a punch to the face.

El glanced up at her husband whose jaw was now about to shatter from how severely he was clenching it. So, disregarding the fact that they were in the middle of a grocery store, she reached forward on her tippy toes to leave fleeting pecks along his jawline. Seconds later she could feel his muscles begin to unwind as his posture lazily returned, and his hands nonchalantly landed on the small of her back.

When she pulled away, Mike’s abnormally dark eyes met her own. He briefly assessed her face and registered the fact that she was sporting a look of pure lust. He furrowed his eyebrows in response to what her face was presenting, curious as to why she appeared heated.

As if she read his mind, she leaned forward and whispered against his earlobe, “seeing you get jealous and possessive was extremely attractive, Mr. Wheeler. What do you say we get out of here?”

Then, before she even gave the poor boy a chance to collect himself, she had nearly caused his knees to give out as she left a chaste kiss upon the curve of his neck. 

“Excuse me, you’re standing in front of the pasta. Please go home and make children in private,” an older woman sassily interrupted.

El squeaked in embarrassment as she tugged quickly on her husband’s wrist so that they could retreat from the painfully awkward scenario that just unfolded.

When they were halfway down the isle, Mike being his usual smart ass self peered over his shoulder and informed those around them, “she’s actually already pregnant, but we understand the message, thanks!”

The married couple were entirely caught up in the blissful tension that was mounting between them that they almost left the store without paying.

When they got home that day, El swiftly showed Mike that there was no need for him to feel jealous of other men, as he was the only one that would ever get to have and hold her.

The grocery store incident had felt like it would just be an isolated occurrence, but they were surely mistaken. A pest never fully stays away when only told to scram. The only tactic to successfully get rid of infestation of any kind is to exterminate it.  
————————————-  
The following week Mike and El decided to treat themselves to a romantic day trip at the local lake. The couple spent their first hour cozying up against one another as the sun beat down on them strongly.

“Shoot, I left the sunscreen in the car,” the pale boy suddenly whined after noticing their bag did not contain the necessary product.

El hummed and ran her hand along his chest, “babe, you’re going to fry. I can head back there to grab it.”

She began sitting forward, but found herself halted as Mike launched himself to his feet, “nope! You’re relaxing. Let me get the sunscreen for all of us. I don’t want our baby getting sunburn before they’re even born,” he finished with a chuckle.

“Hmm.. not sure if that’s how it works, but okay. Be back soon, please?” she sweetly asked.

Her husband planted a kiss to her forehead and began uncoordinatedly jogging back to the car, “be back in ten minutes, promise!”

Once the lanky love of her life was no longer in sight, Eleven laid herself down onto her back, stretching a hand over her belly protectively as she suddenly felt on edge. Ignoring her instinct, she began drifting off to sleep as she traced vague shapes across her taut abdomen. However, her tranquility was shattered when an unwelcome presence disturbed her. 

“Sunshine that had to have those pickles, is that you?” called a cocky tone.

She whipped her head around and saw that weird guy from the store standing just several inches behind her, “yep, that’s me,” her voice laced with disinterest. 

The blue eyed fellow took advantage of the empty space next to her and invited himself to sit beside her. His presence made her feel extremely uncomfortable and entirely violated as his eyes scanned her from head to toe.

“You know, you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. What do you say we get to know each other?” he questioned as his hand sought out her own.

Without even thinking, El darted up and was now standing. After putting several feet between them, she crossed her arms in front of her chest in attempt to hide her body that was currently on display in her swimsuit. Her warm honey eyes scanned the area, noticing that there was not another soul in sight.

“I’m married. And even if I wasn’t, I’d still never want anyone that wasn’t Mike,” she cleared her throat and fumed further, “I’m really uncomfortable, so can you please leave me alone?”

Rather than listen to the words she had spoken, the grocery store tool stood up and walked closer, “in case you couldn’t tell, being told no isn’t really my thing. So, let’s restart. My name is Ryan and I think you’re beautiful, let’s get to know each other?”

She bit her tongue, fighting back the bile that threatened to rise, “if you take even one step closer, I’m going to hurt you. I’m well trained in self defense and this wouldn’t be the first time I’ve beaten a guy like you, so I suggest you leave,” she spat at him, preparing to protect herself and the child she was carrying.

Ryan rolled his eyes in response and stated, “sweetheart, I doubt you can take care of yourself. You should be feeling great that I’m trying so hard here considering you’re a bit bloated, but that’s fine, I can look past that.”

El didn’t even take offense to the comment, only feeling impacted by the fact that this douche had overlooked her fair warning. So, when Ryan pursued closing the distance between them, she planted her feet in preparation of landing her first blow upon his soon to be busted nose. But, her preparedness was no longer necessary when Ryan was suddenly laid out flat on the ground. 

Mike, who had overheard the past few comments exchanged, made a stealthy approach that allowed his fiery anger to knock the imbecile directly off of his feet.

Mike reached down and grabbed the dunce by his neck, “never, and I mean never, come near her ever again. And if I even hear you so much as utter another comment about my pregnant wife, I will destroy you. Do I make myself clear?”

The now cowering boy attempted to escape from the grip he was trapped in, but failed miserably, “I said, do I make myself clear?”

The creep could not even mutter a proper yes as fear and pain coated his slimy surface. Instead, he frantically nodded as believably as possible until Mike released his grip on him. 

“Good, now go,” Mike spoke with such intimidation that Ryan, who already had a purple welt developing across the entire right side of his face, sprinted away from the couple without a final word.

El watched the whole thing in shock, only coming back to the moment when she felt her husband rest one hand on her cheek and the other on her exposed stomach.

“Are you both okay, baby? I’m so sorry that happened. If I hadn’t forgotten the sunscreen, all of this could have been avoided. I’m just so sorry I couldn’t have gotten here sooner, love,” he empathetically apologized.

Eleven normally would have responded to make sure he didn’t feel badly, but her emotional imbalance took over and she bursted into immediate tears, “I-I should have never gotten pickles. They’re only going to make me fat anyways. I can be s-so stupid. I’m sorr—“

Rather than Mike being interrupted, he found that this was his moment to disrupt her unruly rambling by kissing her fiercely. He tasted her salty tears mingling within their passionate exchange and felt as she pressed herself further into his embrace.

“You could eat forty seven pickles a day and you’d still be the most beautifully stunning human being I’ll ever lay my eyes on. I love you,” he mumbled against her sun kissed lips.

“Can we go home and cuddle? I want to be somewhere alone so we can stay undisturbed. Just you and me,” she shyly asked, not wanting to unravel their original plans if it wasn’t what he wanted.

Mike couldn’t help but grin at how lucky he was to call the adorable woman that stood before him his wife.

“That sounds like something I want to do for the rest of my life. Let’s go home and I’ll make you your favorite hot chocolate,” he promised.

El perked up at his offer and eagerly interlaced her hand with his own before pulling them in the direction of where their station wagon was parked. However, her motions were halted as she heard him yelp while retracting his hand back.

“Shit, I’m going to have to ice this when we get home too,” he said while frantically waving his hand around in hopes of alleviating the pain that the adrenaline had once masked.

Then, he felt as her dainty touch took hold of his hand once more, only this time she stopped to press a kiss upon each one of his bruising knuckles.

“I’ll be your nurse for the evening, how does that sound?” she innocently proposed.

Mike’s twenty four year old adult mind rewinded to mush as he stated, “that sounds interesting. And kind of inappropriate. Either way, I’ll take what I get. As long as I’m with you, that’s all that matters.”

El’s light laughter filled the air, “no wonder I’m pregnant. Let’s go home, love.”

He kissed her softly beneath the afternoon sun that was starting to descend and verbally reflected the emotions he felt each waking moment he spent with her, “I love you so much.”

At the end of the day, all concluded with the couple finding themselves in euphoria. Although they had temporarily been in quite a pickle, there was not situation that they could not come out on top of.

Their story was created in the stars as they were destined to be soulmates. They belonged to one another and there was no force that could ever demolish a bond as invincible as Mike and El’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave kudos and comments!  
> And feel free to leave requests as well!!  
> Wishing everyone a warm and healthy holiday season <3


	15. Cold Little Heart (1993)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a week until Mike & El’s wedding and nothing can diminish the high volume of happiness they were floating upon. But there may be one last jealousy bump along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Otherwise known as, someone hits on Mike and El represses her rage. Really just some fluff that was thrown together. But a lovely reader named Rose had requested I write about someone hitting on Mike, so here it is!!

It was just a week until Mike and El’s wedding and the couple found bad luck attempting to burst their positive bubble. Recently their floral arrangements had fallen through, which normally would have driven any other pair of lovers into panic mode. However, Mike had addressed the issue head-on, volunteering to arrange all of the flowers himself.

Quite honestly, all they cared for was the fact that they would soon hold the titles of being husband and wife. It did not matter if the event took place in a local parking lot beside the world’s finest dumpster; as long as they were together to exchange their vows, that was all that mattered.

To celebrate the upcoming event, the party had agreed it was mandatory for them all to enjoy a night out. And that’s exactly how Mike and Eleven found themselves seated amongst their friends at a local bar.

Dustin; who had willingly made the reservation, thought it would be warm enough to reserve outdoor seating, but he could not have been more wrong.

It was just forty five degrees that evening and the party were all without their heavy winter gear. Although the bitter cold tried its hardest to spoil the fun, the friends found joy in cozying up close to one another.

They were just recounting the time that Mike had tried to physically fight a tree branch after it had scratched El’s cheek when an unfamiliar individual approached them.

“Dusty, what are you doing here?” the voice came from an elegant girl whose long black hair laid beautifully straight against her deep red jacket.

“Allison!” Dustin exclaimed, hugging her quickly as he turned to the group, “everyone, this is my friend Allison. She volunteers at the museum with me on weekends. Allison, this is the party!”

The curly headed boy then went around the circle, identifying each party member. It seemed Allison’s friends had left the establishment early and she was just on her way out, but had heard her coworkers uniquely noticeable voice.

“Feel free to join us,” invited Will, kindly as ever.

Just a few handful of minutes had passed before conversation was back into full swing, now including their newfound friend. Lucas and Max were retelling the tale of their first date when Mike’s hand had stealthily found his fiancées. 

“Jesus, babe, your hands are freezing. Here,” he said while frantically ripping his gloves off of his hands.

El attempted to protest, but found herself silenced as he swiftly slipped the material onto her hands. She was gazing happily at how his large gloves essentially swallowed her hands whole when a warm breath against her ear created a distraction.

“I can think of other ways to keep you warm, baby. We just need to keep up with the chit-chat a bit longer, then we can head home,” he promised while leaving a few subtle pecks along the vanilla scented skin of her neck.

El had slyly grinned at him, loving that she could feel the heat beginning to rise between them. She knew where this was going and had planned a mischievous response to his proposition, but found their building tension interrupted by a shrill voice.

“Mike! Dusty tells me you like to write stories. Got any romance suggestions for a helpless soul like myself?” Allison batted her mascara coated eyelashes at him.

“Uh, I’m not much of a romantic writer,” Mike uncomfortably stated.

Lucas cut into the conversation, immediately contradicting what his friend had just said, “that’s a bunch of bull! What about the proud princess? The one who was destine to marry her childhood lover after she saved the land? That’s a good romance story, isn’t it Mikey? Maybe a bit familiar?”

El, who knew her fiancé well enough, could feel him tense. He was always insecure about his work and wanted to avoid discussing it in detail amongst anyone besides her. So, she grabbed onto his thigh, wanting to gain his attention in order to assure that their friend was not teasing him. Yet, his eyes did not meet hers for long when another’s voice corrupted her plan.

“That sounds great!” Allison spoke enthusiastically while scooting herself closer until she was nearly shoulder to shoulder with the talented writer, “what has inspired you to make these stories?”

Mike, who was heavily distracted by his fiancées dainty hand that had danced its way beneath his sweater, stuttered, “uh, m-my inspiration is my life experiences.”

El was trying her best to choke back her giggles when she quickly found her giddy emotion washed over with rage. She had already been aware that this poor girl was attempting to flirt with her man, but now, she noticed Allison had progressed to making physical contact.

“Wait, your hands are cold! Bet I can keep them warm while you tell me more about your work,” the girl spoke while trapping Mike’s left hand between both of her own.

Max, who had watched the entire thing play out, lowly spoke into her bestfriend’s ear, “I know you want to kill her, but wait. He can handle it.”

“I know,” El snapped in return, not meaning to sound vicious. She just could not repress the jealously that infected her once upbeat demeanor.

While Eleven focused on channeling all the tranquility her peaceful mind could muster, Mike was busy panicking about the unwanted advances this girl was making. Not only did the exchange make his skin feel like it was about to crawl away, but it also made him mildly angry. He imagined how he would feel if he saw another man attempting to trifle with his soon to be wife. His conjured up scenario helped him recognize that he could actually feel fumes of anger fanning off of his fiancée that was sat beside him.

After escaping his own head, Mike ripped his hand out of the stranger’s hold, “my fiancée knows exactly how to keep my hands warm. And actually, there’s not much more to say about my stories. All of them have been inspired by El.”

Shortly after setting things straight, he felt a much more welcome hand smoothly interlace with his own. When he turned to look at Eleven, he was startled by her honey brown eyes that were tinted with an eerie splash of darkness. The remaining unpleasantry that now lingered within her had Mike worried that she was angry with him for the circumstances that had just unfolded. 

He had barely opened his mouth to apologize for the events that were out of his control when he felt a set of heavenly lips gently grace his own. El quickly disconnected from him and nodded once as a way of communicating to him that all was well.

“Well, that was unfortunate. Glad to see we could clarify that these two are head over heels for one another!” Dustin said, promptly ending the silence with a spout of forced laughter. 

“Oh! Oh.. oh well, that’s nice! How long have you two been together?” Allison questioned curiously after recovering from her shock.

Mike flashed a grin at El who responded civilly, “ten years. It’s been a long time coming, but we actually will be married in a few days. So.. yep.”

Allison flushed in embarrassment, not knowing exactly how it would be appropriate to respond, “oh! Uh, I’m sorry. That was my mistake. Let’s just erase the past few minutes. Is that cool?”

“Cooler than cool, it’s the best idea. Tell us what it’s like working with Dustin,” Eleven laughed while confirming that all was okay, even though remaining pain thrived from the flashes of emotion she had just went through.

The rest of the evening went on without any further bumps or inconveniences. The situation that had boiled at the start of the night was uncomfortable for everyone present, but it wrapped up the way it was meant to.

Yet, Mike could not shake the feeling that El was still feeling unsettled. He kept his eyes trained onto the side of her face for the remaining time, noticing that her signature dimples failed to make another appearance. He ranted and raved internally at himself, wishing that there was something he could do, but he knew it was best not to mention it until they were alone.

At around midnight, the group said their goodbyes to the hazardous girl that had infiltrated their evening. The soon to be married duo had just successfully taken on the role of designated drivers by delivering the fellow drunken party members to their respected residencies. Their last stop was Dustin, as he lived just a block away from their apartment.

As the curly headed boy stepped out of the backseat, he looked back and lightly spoke, “I’m sorry about the Allison thing. I had no idea she would be that way. I’m just glad El didn’t snap her arm like she did Troy’s,” he giggled and sighed, “but really, I hope tonight wasn’t too much of a bust. I just wanted to celebrate so that you knew how much I love you both.”

Mike, who had become choked up, grittily responded as he barreled out of the car to hug his adorable pal, “tonight was great. We couldn’t ask for better friends. You’re the best.”

Then, without warning, El exited the car and brought Dustin into a fierce hug of their own, “we love you and your beautiful heart.”

After dismantling the sentimental moment the three friends had shared, the couple settled back into the car. They watched as Dustin skipped up his walkway before he disappeared behind his front door.

Once arriving back at their building, Eleven slid out of the car and began walking towards the entrance. However, her feet were soon lifted off the ground as she felt herself being collected into a bridle hold.

“Not much longer until I’m carrying you just like this, except next time, you’ll be in a wedding dress,” he lovingly pointed out.

El didn’t verbally respond, but lightly played with his hair as he continued striding in the direction of their apartment. After he had entered and securely shut their door, she had gracefully rearranged their position so that her legs were now wrapped around his hips. 

She leaned forward until their chests were pressed against one another’s and quietly recalled, “I believe you had promised to warm me up, right?”

Mike, whose eyes grew comically wide, gulped, “I-I sure did. Should I fulfill that promise?”

“A promise is something you never break, so I believe you should,” she retorted without skipping a beat.

———————-

Concluding his successfully executed promise, Mike drew Eleven in so that she was partially laid on top of him. His long fingers were stretched to fit snugly into the dip of her bare waist. Their matched breaths were lulling him to sleep when her voice consciously rattled him.

“Well, this whole night was interesting. For a minute I thought you would leave me for that stunning girl, but here we are, naked in bed. Miracles do happen,” she snorted at her own joke.

Mike, who knew El more than she even knew herself, sensed her underlying insecurities arise. And before he allowed any negative emotions to fester within her, he finally got the chance to address the negativity he saw dashed upon her porcelain face earlier that evening.

He kissed the crown of her head, muttering his words against her hairline, “I would never leave you because you are it for me. I will love you and only you until we are super old and cranky.”

She huffed against his adam’s apple as her sarcastic tone turned bitter, “there are prettier, more intelligent girls out there.. I just hope you never realize that.”

Mike wasn’t sure if she could feel his heart irregularly beat harshly in his ribs as her words effectively harmed him. How could she doubt that she was it for him? That she was the most amazing specimen he’s ever come across?

He gently pressed a hand beneath her chin as he aligned her face with his own, “baby, you’re the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on. And you’re the smartest person I know. Even when you didn’t have hair and barely spoke, you were both the prettiest and wisest girl I knew. I love you with everything I am. You are it for me, El Wheeler.”

Eleven’s eyebrows furrowed in response, “Hmm.. El Wheeler? That’s who I’ll be next week, right?”

“I have always wanted you to be El Wheeler. I have been infatuated with you since we met. God, I can’t wait until you’re my wife. This life.. our life.. is all I could ever wish for,” he said as a tear dripped off of his cheek and landed on her own.

She wiped the remaining tears that had escaped him as she looked him over. His eyes were clearly expressing the outstanding amount of love he had, accurately representing the definition of heart eyes. All of the love and adoration he carried was entirely hers to own.

“I love you. I’m sorry I got jealous and kinda weird,” she mumbled as she shyly looked away.

“Look at me, love,” Mike calmly requested and only continued speaking once her golden speckled eyes had melted into his own, “you don’t have anything to apologize for. I get jealous about every person who interacts with you because it takes away a second that I get to be with you. So really, it’s okay. Besides, you handled yourself much better than I would have.”

El’s facial features transformed into a shiny grin as her mind processed all he had said and took in just how much he loved her. She brought her hands up to his bare shoulders, using them to pull herself up until she was comfortably straddling his lap. Her plump lips then glided openly with his own, eliciting a soft groan from his throat. She felt as his hands tried to weave within her hair that was already knotted from his hands that had passed through it just a few moments ago.

She pulled away with a low grunt, “I love you, but I need to shower so that I can fix the mess that is supposedly my hair. Would you like to join me?”

Mike felt his natural response kick in as his eyebrows shot up beneath his shaggy hair. His legs clambered to the hardwood flooring as he clumsily slung her around so that he could give her a proper piggyback ride. 

The engaged couple later found themselves back in bed as they were now sufficiently well spent. Exhaustion was creeping in on them, but before sleep could take him, Mike whispered against his fiancées damp hair, “I can’t wait to marry you.”

El airily laughed and breathed deeply, “I would’ve married you when we were thirteen if things were my way. Marrying you will be my dream come true.”

Mike dragged her closer into his hold, assuring that her back was pressed as close as possible to his front, “I love you.”

As proven, there was nothing that could burst the couple’s bubble. Whether it was a lack of professionally arranged flowers or an intolerably flirtatious specimen, not a single thing could successfully separate their relationship.

There would be no wedding jitters in attendance for their ceremony, as it is a moment they had been waiting for their whole lives. Their hearts had combined and became a home for the two soulmates. 

It was solidified on November 7th, 1993, that Mike and El would spend eternity loving one another even beyond death do they part.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies if this mildly sucked. I wrote it super quickly and couldn’t find the energy to appropriately edit it. I hope it’s okay.  
> Wishing you all the very best! Stay warm xx <3


	16. We’re Waiting for the Sunlight (1993)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike’s battle against his insecurities and stressors comes to a head during the season of love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Otherwise known as, I somehow made an insecurity piece that manages to combine Valentine’s Day and a little snippet of Christmas. Mildly angsty, but be warned, ends happily! (because I’m not capable of writing true angst). Anyways, enjoy!!

“when I feel I can’t go on, you come and hold me. it’s you and me forever.”  
————————————————————————-

It all started with the topic of Valentine’s Day. Near the end of January, the newly engaged couple had decided that since they were attempting to save money for the wedding that exchanging gifts for Cupid’s holiday was not necessary.

Well, at least that is what Mike had agreed to. 

It was now the eve of Valentine’s Day and Mike had just entered the apartment door before he sluggishly removed the heavy book bag off of his back. He threw his keys at the kitchen island, nearly missing, as he trudged towards the bedroom.

In truth, his semester was going terribly wrong. His school priorities posed too much of a burden to allow him to work at the moment. So, for this spring semester, he was merely a full time student. For some reason, that alone left him feeling useless. 

El was both a full time student while juggling a part time internship and part time daycare job. She woke up each morning with a gleam in her eyes and returned home each evening with a bounce in her step. She was resilient and absolutely radiant. 

Mike was immensely proud of her. There was so much pride that he could not appropriately express that enough. However, he couldn’t help but feel as though he was falling behind. Almost like he was not good enough for her. 

Feeling unworthy of the ethereal being that was his fiancée was always something he had struggled with. Yet, it was typically an insecurity of his that was silently resolved without El even being aware of it.

In the midst of battling with his self loathing and additional stressors, the very last thing he wanted to see was a beautifully wrapped gift perched upon his pillow.

He leaned forward hazardously as his hand grazed the shiny red paper. His eyebrows furrowed in both confusion and annoyance. Eleven wouldn’t have gotten him a gift after agreeing not to, right?

As if on cue, his question would soon be properly addressed as an angelic voice suddenly came from behind him, “hey baby!”

El reached up onto her tippy toes and pecked his lips softly, leaving a tinted pink residue on him from the lipstick she had applied earlier, before pulling back to examine his face. She could tell by taking one glance at him that something was off. 

“Is everything okay?” she gently probed while smoothing her palm across his crinkled brows.

Mike’s hand flashed to the side, bringing the offensive object into clear sight, “what is this? We said no gifts. Which means there are no gifts. What is it?”

She hesitated, slightly taken back by his tone, before hurrying to explain, “it’s nothing big at all. I didn’t even wrap it, the salesperson did as a holiday tradition that they were doing for customers. And it’s actually not even a Valentine’s gift. I put in an order for it in December and was put on a backlist, hoping they would get back to me for Christmas. I forgot all about it until I got the call earlier today that it was finally in and ready to go. So, long story short, happy belated Christmas,” she finished ranting with a wide grin plastered on her face.

El’s joyful spirits began to descend as she watched her fiancé hatefully pick at the wrapped present. She had meant no harm and was not trying to get around their no gift idea. It just so happened that timing ultimately failed her miserably.

“Can you return in? I don’t want anything right now. Let’s just stick to neither of us getting gifts around Valentine’s Day this year, okay?” he muttered, not managing to hide his temper very well.

“I..I don’t want to return it. Please, Mike. I really wanted to give this to you two months ago and I think you’ll love it. Please, just open it and then decide,” she pleaded in response, hoping to turn things around.

Deep down, Mike wanted to be thankful for the thoughtfulness she had put into this effort, but found that he wasn’t capable of doing so right now. He could feel that his emotions were not within his control and that he was being spiteful for no rightful reason. 

So, deciding to comply with what she wished for, he began chipping away the tape and holographic paper that littered the outside of the box. He hastily opened up the square object and pulled out the thing that meant so much to her. He took a moment to observe it and allowed himself to feel in pure awe of the woman standing before him.

“It’s a paladin figure I had made for you. I wanted it to fit you, which is why this one has dark hair and freckles. If you look at the right hand, I had them add a supercom since you always seemed to use it with only your right. And—“ she had one more thing to point out, but she was abruptly cut off.

“El, this is.. I love it and I love you for being so thoughtful, but I don’t deserve this. I think you should return it. Save the money so you can do something for yourself,” he looked at the ground as he spoke, unable to meet her eyes.

Eleven squared her shoulders and lifted his chin up until his darkened irises met her own, “Mike, you deserve every single thing this world has to offer. And I know the universe would want you to have this because you’re the world’s most brave and selfless Paladin. You’re everyone’s hero, but especially mine. You deserve every bright thing in this life,” she gushed lovingly, wanting to assure he knew how special he was.

Mike wanted nothing more than to believe her. He wanted to thank her repeatedly for the heartfelt gesture. He wanted to reflect that he felt she was worthy of everything wholesome in the universe as well. However, in that moment, his mind was reeling and he could not get a handle on his emotional incompetence.

“I’m not good enough for you. I’ve never been your hero, I’m just here. I’m average and you’re the most amazing woman in this world. I’ve never been good enough and I’m tired of dragging you around with me when you deserve better,” he spat fast, clutching onto the figurine that was placed in his clammy palm.

After stating the negative mantra that his mind had been replaying for the past few days, he felt relief. Yet, his confession’s bliss was short lived, as his eyes looked up and took in the love of his life’s appearance.

El’s face was coated in tears, mascara marks cascading down her face and staining the collar of her sweater. Her chest appeared as though it was moving shallowly, a subtle ache having taken over her ability to breathe deeply. Her lips that were once pressed into a heartwarming smile now frowned as she gasped between sobs.

He watched her claw at her chest briefly as she struggled to speak, “you know that none of that is true. You’re perfect for me and I’m perfect for you. We are meant to be.”

Almost as if he couldn’t control the now freed thoughts, his vocal chords rang a bitter response, “you are perfect and that’s the problem. I don’t deserve you and maybe it’s time we both accept that I’m not good enough.”

“How could you say that?” she asked between her cries.

Mike’s inability to respond progressed onward, stretching silence amongst the two. He stared at the flooring, pretending as if he had not just allowed his insecurities to win. 

“I love you. And I’m sorry if I’ve done something to make you feel this.. this horrible. I’m the one that has never been worthy of you and I’m sorry that I projected those feelings onto you. I love you, so much,” El empathetically spoke, finishing her statement by kissing his cheek so quickly that he barely even registered the gesture.

Seconds later, his senses picked up on the fact that there was now a series of sounds. The first was their hardwood flooring that was creaking beneath one’s movement and the second was the chiming of a cluttered keyring.

On that note, he snapped his head up as his legs guided him out to where the noises were coming from. There, now headed for the living room, was a blur of El’s figure.

“Where are y—“ Mike attempted to ask, but was interrupted with her words that were mingled with heavy breaths.

“I’m just going to go and.. I’m going to go. I’m sorry I upset you. I’ll be back and we could talk about whether you want me to stay or not,” she said, obviously flustered, as she flung her jacket on.

“Don’t go. I didn’t mean to make you leave. I don’t want you to leave. Please, don’t go,” he begged, very similarly to how he once begged for her to return many years ago when he was only a boy.

She looked between the man whose eyes now glistened with unshed tears and the front door before taking a step further, “I’ll be back. I love you.”

The door’s hinges echoed mockingly at Mike. He went to run after her, to get her back here so he could apologize for everything wrong he had just done, but his legs wouldn’t budge. He yanked relentlessly at his feet until he was finally set free. However, when he made it to the parking lot, he took note that the familiar station wagon was no longer parked in it’s place.

He stared at the empty spot as fear crept up on him. She had left in an unstable frame of mind and that was entirely his fault. What if.. what if he drove her into a dangerous situation? What if she couldn’t focus on driving safely because of him? What if she got hurt?

Mike gripped his hair angrily, completely frustrated that he had done this to her. To himself. To their relationship. 

“Don’t cry. Think. Fuck! Just fucking thinking, you idiot!” he berated himself aloud as he processed what he could do.

Suddenly, in the midst of his very public breakdown, a hand clasped onto his shoulder, “Mike? What the hell, man? I stopped by to see if you guys had eggs, but got distracted by someone yelling. Then I saw you and dude you look.. twisted.”

He spun around and met the familiar face, “Dustin? I thought you had class until later.”

“I’m done early, so I decided its time to make myself some holiday treats. Brownies to be specific. Is El around? She usually likes to bake with me,” he innocently asked with an adorable smile on his face.

Suddenly, a lightbulb appeared.

“El left here really upset and I’m scared. Please, help me find her,” Mike requested, not even trying to hide how desperate he was.

The curly headed boy took in his friend’s appearance, noticing that he had something clutched in his right hand that was slightly shaking, “whatcha got there?”

Mike unclenched his fist, revealing the collectible figure, “El had a Paladin designed to look more like my characteristics. Had them put in a few things that are like me because she’s amazing.”

Dustin quickly pawed at it, examining it closely as he smiled, “thoughtful one that wise girl is. I see she put in your catchphrase too. It’s adorable.”

“What?” Mike asked, truly not understanding.

“‘Promise.’ It’s in the stripped lines of your character’s shirt, near I guess where the heart would be,” he observantly pointed out.

The figurine was then swiped out of Dustin’s possession as Mike examined it up close. And just as he had said, there it was. Promise. That was the third marking she had specifically asked to be designed into place. She was incredible. 

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go get our girl,” Dustin declared as he began walking back to his car.

Just like that, the two were embarking on a hunt. They had stopped at a few of El’s favorite places that she would go to on stressful days, but were unsuccessful in finding her. Then, clear as day, Mike realized she never went to places when things were too hard to handle. She had a habit of going to people. And unfortunately, since he was who had pushed her away, there was only one other person he could think of coming in a close second.

Dustin turned to Mike as he pulled into a familiar setting, “should I hang here or do you think you’ll be coming home together?”

Mike examined the present station wagon, thankful that she was safe, as he sighed, “I’m not wasting any more of your time. Go steal some of my eggs and make your brownies. Thank you for doing all of this.”

Dustin wished him luck as he slowly reversed out of the setting. Once his car was no longer in sight, Mike started following the memorized path he had made as a teen up to the door. Just as he was about to knock, he found it being opened rather softly. 

“Hello—“ he attempted to speak, getting silenced quickly by a heavy hand that rested on his shoulder. 

Hopper shot him a silencing look that spoke clearly for itself. The two men tip toed into the kitchen, seemingly hiding themselves from some sort of hidden danger.

“She fell asleep a few minutes ago. I just carried her to her old bed and really don’t want her waking up yet. She’s been through enough and needs some rest,” Hop spoke grimly, appearing to be holding something back.

Mike knew he should be more courteous, but found he couldn’t bite his tongue, “I know she’s been through enough, but she’s my fiancée. I need to make sure she’s okay.”

The boy then slyly went to take a step closer to the bedroom door that was left ajar, but felt himself being tugged back.

“Kid, let her be. She’s really upset with everything that happened. Why don’t you just take the car back and I’ll drive her to you in the morning?” her father suggested kindly, wanting to make the best decision for them both.

“Like hell I’m leaving here without talking to her. If she wants me to go, then I’ll go. But until she tells me to, I’m staying,” Mike’s voice came out louder than intended.

Hopper pinched the bridge of his nose, mentally acknowledging that this felt eerily similar to the argument they’d had when the boy had discovered the love of his life had been hidden away from him for a whole three hundred and fifty three days.

“Jesus, fine. If you’re staying, then let’s chat,” Hop proposed, only stopping to take a breath before speaking candidly, “this whole you not feeling good enough is bullshit. I know you can’t control the things your mind is capable of making up when things get hard, but this is just as false as they come. That girl that’s snoring in there has flaws, plenty of them. And so do you. There’s no such thing as being ‘too good’ for one another because you’re meant to be together. It’s a balancing act. The good and the bad. Understand?”

Mike took a moment to digest his words, allowing the meaning behind them to dissolve into his bloodstream. His insecurities were monsters that had the ability to destroy everything the two of them had built, but he wouldn’t allow that to rob him of the one thing he valued most in this life.

“I can be so stupid. I got caught up in feeling badly that I made myself believe that I was doing something good by pushing her away. I hate myself for making her upset,” his words trailed off, his sentence ending without any real conclusion.

Hopper wasn’t sure what the best way to respond was, so he stepped out of his own comfort zone and brought the boy into a fierce embrace. He held him tightly to ensure he felt protected from the negativity that had seemingly weighed him down.

“Next time, talk to her when you feel insecure or stressed. Just do that and it’ll go much better than this. Trust me, I know from experience,” Hop confided in him.

The boy’s eyebrows then rose comically high, “you don’t think you’re good enough for Joyce!? But you guys are basically high school sweethearts! That’s like textbook meant to be together.”

Hopper chuckled dryly as he fired back, “yep. And I know that you and El are meant to be together. You both make each other’s life better. Remember that.”

Mike was going to thank him, but it was almost as if he had a sixth sense that had consumed him. He felt a presence lingering in the entry way of the dining area, but couldn’t bring himself to face the eternal sunshine that was now present.

Hopper must have felt it as well because he soon saluted the kid and said, “I’m going to take a nap. Both of you remember what I told you. Being soulmates isn’t easy, but when it’s meant to be, it is what it is,” he ruffled El’s hair before journeying to his own confinement.

Once it was just the two of them, Mike took a moment to take in her appearance. Her warm brown eyes were the same as ever, but were slightly droopy due to the fitful nap she had just woken up from.

They both took a few cautious steps closer to each other, seeing who would make the first move to break the ice that had frozen between them.

El’s featherlight hand took the plunge as she interlaced her’s with his own. She swallowed the remaining lump in her throat before speaking, “I’m sorry I upset you earlier. I never want you to feel like you’re not good enough and I can’t help but feel like I’m the reason you felt that way. And I’m sorry I left, I just felt like it was what you needed.”

Mike took a moment to analyze her words, feeling both comforted and ruined by the ideas she proposed. Her ability to be apologetic openly and accept blame had always been an admirable quality of her’s, but right there was something dark to be offered as well. 

He knew she wasn’t at fault for his insecurities and that they had boiled up so horribly due to his inability to speak about them. And he definitely felt like it was his own doing that sent her running away from him, her home.

Mike broke the hold on their hands and rested his palms on her cheeks, “I never want you to feel like I want you to leave. I need you. I’ll always need you,” he paused to take a ragged breath, “I know it’s no excuse, seeing as you’re doing even more work than I am right now, but I feel like I’m drowning in something that should be easy. I haven’t felt smart or good at anything. I’m scared that maybe one day you’ll wake up and realize I’m not it anymore.”

El, who tried her best to listen without her emotion slipping through the cracks, had broken her facade when heavy cries wracked her tiny frame. Her footing became uneasy as all of the sorrows had exhausted her to the core. 

Mike took notice of her fatigue and quickly gripped her waist before lifting her up slightly. Once he positioned her feet so that she was standing on top of his own, he loosened his hold and brought her forehead to lean against his.

“Are you okay?” his question laced with utmost concern.

Eleven nodded profusely, only to begin crying a bit more, “I’m never going to wake up and change my mind about you. I know that things have been hard, but that’s why I’m here. I’m here for every single good or bad day you have. We are partners. I rely on you constantly, especially when I’m feeling as if I’m not enough because you ease that anxious feeling.”

She weaved a hand through his hair, pushing it back so that she had a clear view of his glistening eyes as she continued, “you’re the most brilliant man I’ve ever known and you have an exceptional amount of kindness in your heart. I know things are hard with school right now, but you’re going to accomplish everything just fine. I know it.”

Mike, who had been captivated by all she had to say, felt his own floodgates release. Thinking back on the past several hours, he couldn’t help but feel silly for how he had behaved. This is was his El. There was no such thing as being good enough for one another because they were made for each other, regardless of the baggage they carried with them.

“I love you. I’m so sorry for making you upset. I’m so sorry,” he whispered, almost as if he lost the ability to speak any louder.

Relief consumed El, causing her to giggle airily, “it’s okay. We are okay and that’s all that matters. I love you, I promise.”

In response, Mike took the opportunity to mold their lips together. He felt her lightly gasp before her mouth formed a smile. The kiss was rather messy as their teeth clashed together due to the grins they were both sporting. After a few moments, their cheeky beams subsided as heat thickly coated the air. Mike wrapped his hands around the back of her thighs, raising her up until she was sat upon the kitchen counter. 

They took a moment to breathe, a chance for the two to look into each other’s eyes. Both felt pleased with the love and happiness that was now obvious upon their faces. Mike positioned himself firmly between her legs, pressing himself further into her welcoming embrace.

Just as they were about to continue, a loud cough boomed from behind them. The two scattered apart as if they were teens getting caught doing something they were not permitted to do.

“That’s where I prepare food! Jesus!” shouted Hopper, who had a look of pure horror painted on his face.

A blushing Mike stuttered, “s-sorry”, only to be interrupted by Eleven’s hysterical laughter. She soon became like a broken record, unable to resolve her fit.

She had a hand pressed against her mouth as she said between hearty chuckles, “I’m sorry, I think my body is so done with crying that it couldn’t help but laugh. Sorry dad, for bothering you and for displaying public affection in the kitchen again.”

Hopper huffed before his eyes bulged out of his skull, “affection in my kitchen again!? That’s it! I’m happy you two worked it out, but scram. Both of you go back to your own kitchen. Good riddance.”

The couple shared a mischievous look, communicating a mutual message, before bringing the burly man into a group hug. They knew he would pretend to hate the gesture, but it was too evident that he adored them both.

Once breaking the hug, El pecked her father’s scruffy cheek, “thanks, dad. Love you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Love you too,” he smirked as he turned to face the boy beside him, “drive safety with the precious cargo, kid. That includes you. Keep taking care of yourself, okay?”

Mike nodded enthusiastically, “I will. Thanks again.”

The two practically floated out to the car, jumping into their separate sides of the vehicle. Mike placed the keys into the ignition before turning to face the beautiful woman sat beside him. He could tell sleep was dragging her in once more, so he left a lingering kiss on her forehead, “get some sleep. We have a busy night ahead of us.”

“What? We have plans?” she wondered.

“It’s Valentine’s Day eve. I thought we could celebrate the holiday a bit early if you’d like to,” he boldly proposed.

El bit her lip, quickly coming to a consensus, “let me rest then.”

The brunette girl was soon fast asleep, her left hand clasped with Mike’s right. For the duration of the drive, Mike barely focused on the road as his attention was divided between watching his fiancée and stirring up a set of plans for that evening.

As he put the car in park, he came to two final executive decisions. First, they would order pizza and watch El’s favorite movie. It would be casually romantic, a lazy gesture that he knew she would love. The second thing he had determined was that Eleven was absolutely breathtaking. Even as she drooled lightly in her dazed slumber, she still was the most captivating sight he had ever seen. 

Later on that evening, after they had consumed an entire large pizza and had completed ‘When Harry Met Sally’, El nestled herself closer into Mike’s welcoming side.

“It’s officially midnight,” she murmured against his ear, “will you be my valentine?”

Once he could collect himself from the glorious distraction that was her, he responded simply, “always.”

El then went to straddle his lap to get a further reaction out of him, but she suddenly felt something sharply poke at her thigh. She jolted back in mild pain, eliciting an ouch as she looked down offensively.

“Sorry about that. I forgot I left Paladin me in there,” he apologized as he safety removed the figurine from his pocket.

She sheepishly asked, “do you like it?”

He hurriedly nodded, assuring her silently before finding his wording, “I love it. This is one of the most thoughtful gifts ever. I can’t thank you enough.”

She was clearly thrilled by his positive response as she explained her meaning behind the gift, “I thought it could be like a good luck charm. Or something to remind you of who I fell in love with all those years ago. I just thought my superhero deserved his own action figure. It’s kind of cheesy.. but as long as you like it!”

Mike felt his heart swell in response as he practically fell in love with her all over again, which was something he did each day. With the assistance from the sudden burst of affection he felt, he brought her into a burningly slow kiss.

“I love you so much. Happy Valentine’s Day, love,” he mumbled against her lips.

“Merry belated Christmas, babe,” she cheekily replied.

By the end of the evening, all had simmered peacefully. Nothing, not even Mike or El’s insecurities and stressors, could damper the frenzied passion that filled their first Valentine’s Day as an engaged couple.

————————————————————————-  
“and when you feel you can’t go on, I’ll come and hold you. it’s you and me forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not feeling too great about this one, but it was actually inspired by a really great song; Sara Smile by Hall & Oates. 
> 
> As always, feel free to leave comments or kudos! And definitely leave requests if you have any, as I am open to nearly anything and everything.
> 
> Sending warm wishes to everyone <3


	17. Thinking of a Place (1998)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 4th of July parade was meant to be a day for the Wheeler-Hopper family to enjoy the festivities. One moment, Mike had been holding his daughter’s hand. And the next, she was gone without a trace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A dear reader of mine, Heather, brilliantly requested I write about Mike and El’s daughter, Willow, going missing.   
> WARNING: this.. is somehow fluffy.   
> SPOILER: ends happily, but we already knew that bc I’m incapable of making these fictional people unhappy for long.

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed was an understatement for how El felt the morning of July 4th, 1998. She had tossed and turned all night, finally giving up on falling back asleep sometime around five in the morning.

Two hours after she had woken, she could not shake the feeling of anxiety that coated her skin. She did not want to overthink anything, so she settled on assuming that she felt this way due to how far along in her pregnancy she was.

Being eight months pregnant during the summer’s relentless heat felt unbearable. The only relief she found comfort in anymore was when she was holed up in her bedroom, which thanks to Mike, now had its own air conditioning unit.

Another half hour of her staring at the ceiling had ticked by when she suddenly felt the body beside her stir. She first saw two long arms searching beneath the bedsheets until they successfully found her form. Then she watched as a head of raven colored curls swished closer to her side before disappearing out of sight. The last thing she took note of was a pair of lips kissing their way up her stomach until they reached the slope of her neck.

“Good morning, love. Bad night of sleep?” Mike groggily spoke against her exposed collarbone.

Eleven sighed in effort of exhaling out all the exhaustion she was carrying, “yeah, but it’s okay. I’ll get better rest tonight.”

Mike did not believe her for a moment. He knew she was only saying that to put up a strong front for him. He laid a hand on top of the swollen bump between her hips, seeking the vague flutters that their little boy had to offer.

“Maybe we should stay home for the day and relax. You need to rest more and I can take care of you,” he spoke into the crook of her neck.

She quickly shook her head, “no, no. Today’s been planned for a long time and I know it would let everyone down. I can rest tonight.”

Mike bit back his worries, “okay. Then we’ll go to the parade as planned, but only for two hours. We can watch fireworks here so that you’re comfortable.”

El furrowed her brows, ready to deny his lamely polished plan, “no, two hours isn’t enough. You know the fireworks will look better there. What about W—“

Her sentence was soon interrupted by a third body that had crept so quietly into the room that her presence went unknown until she found herself snugly pressed to her mother’s side.

“Mommy!” Willow squealed, clutching tightly to her mom’s arm.

El grinned and placed a kiss on her daughter’s mop of curls, “good morning, sweetie. Are you excited for the parade?”

She could feel her daughter’s head rapidly moving up and down as her toddler sized form exuded pure joy. Willow was edging age three now and her parents were fascinated by how quickly she had grown. Not just size wise, but her cognitive development had sky rocketed. She was absolutely brilliant.

“Mama, ice cream will be there?” the little girl sternly asked.

“Yes, ice cream will be there. As long as you remember to stay by mommy and daddy or grandpa and grandma the whole time, then you’ll get rewarded with ice cream. Understand?” El pressed, wanting the assure her daughter took safety seriously.

Once again, the ringlet curls went flying as she nodded enthusiastically, “yep! Grandpa told me he was going to put me in the sky for the parade.”

While her wording made El mildly confused, she chose to assume that what her daughter had meant was that Hopper was going to raise her up highly on his shoulders to assure she had the best view. 

Eleven was going to respond, hoping to match her daughter’s high level of happiness, but was cut off by a throat being cleared.

“Hello? Did you guys forget about me here?” Mike questioned.

His daughter rolled her honey colored eyes in the same fashion he had as an adolescent, “daddy, it’s girl time.”

“Well, excuse me. Guess I’ll just go away and not come out to the parade,” he dramatically scoffed.

El giggled as Willow sassily fired back, “it’s parade day, daddy. You’ll be there and so will ice cream.”

In response, Mike reached around and lifted his daughter up above his head. He clambered out of bed with his grip still fastened around the little ball of energy, “well, what are we waiting for then? Go pick out an outfit and we’ll be right there to help, okay?”

She took off running in a full sprint right as he had placed her on the ground. He called out, “slow down, Willow! Be careful!”

The two waited until they heard her make it back to her bedroom to share a warm smile. El slowly shuffled herself out of bed, slightly losing balance because of her body’s newly developed proportions.

“Are you sure you’re okay, babe?” Mike’s dark eyes reflected concern as he squeezed his wife’s waist.

She looked up at her husband in adoration, “it’ll be a great day. I’ll be fine. Let’s get a move on it before Hop and Joyce get here. God knows that man is all about being on time.”

“Wait,” Mike halted as he looked her over, “I just wanted to say I love you. You’re the best mom and waking up to you every day is the best. I love you, El.”

El internally cursed him for being so genuine as her eyes became cloudy with tears, “you make life worth it,” she grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach, “you all make life worth it. I love you and our family so much.”

The married couple shared a look, taking in their equally dilated pupils. Mike took the plunge and softly weaved his hands through El’s frizzy hair before pressing his lips to her’s. He felt her whimper against him as she gently traced lines along his back. She then pressed her budding chest further into his own, eliciting a subtle whine from him in the process. Both of their abdomens were beginning to coil tightly in heat, but they knew that this was not the time for them to find a blissful release.

Mike raggedly muttered against her lips, “I’m glad Hopper and Joyce are taking Willow later because we are so continuing this.”

“Can’t wait,” her voice was laced with lust as she nipped at his bottom lip.

“Jesus, El,” he groaned.

Eleven giggled, leaving an innocent peck on the side of his cheek, “easy, boy. We will have plenty of time later. Now, get ready!”

The next hour in the Wheeler house was filled with legitimate chaos. Willow’s dilemma was whether her hair should be braided in one pony tail or if it should be split off into a set of pig tails. Meanwhile, El had found that she could no longer fit into her maternity pants due to her stomach that had grown massively in the past few weeks.

With the calming assistance of Mike; who apparently had his life most in order at the moment, all wound up perfectly fine. The three of them were now squished into the backseat of Hopper’s old truck as they headed to the parade.

When they arrived, Mike was quick to scoop Willow up into a piggy back ride. The two of them walked ahead with Joyce as Hopper and El lingered back.

“I know it’s a holiday, but you’re looking mighty over the top,” Hop joked at her appearance.

Eleven sarcastically twirled in her red sundress and turned to him with a deadpan look, “this is all that fits me at the moment apparently. You try growing a human baby in your body and then get back to me on what clothes fit you.”

Her father was quick to hold his hands up in surrender before protectively slinging an arm around her shoulder, “I’m sorry to hear that, Ellie. You look beautiful and I know I’m not the only one thinking that. Are you getting excited about the arrival of baby number two?”

“Yeah, but I’ve been feeling this sensation of anxiety for the past few days. I’m not sure if it’s the anticipation of the birth or the parade.. I just want it to pass,” she confessed.

“Hmm, that’s odd,” Hopper pondered aloud while turning to her seriously, “if the feeling gets any worse, you can talk to me, Mike, or Joyce. We are here to help.”

Hop felt his eyes swell with tears as he met his daughter’s concerned look, “promise?”

“Promise,” he gruffly spoke, pulling her in for a quick hug.

A moment after the father and daughter finished their conversation, the group had assembled a perfect spot along the parade’s path. Willow, who was in awe of all of the amazing new things that surrounded them, found that waiting for the event to start wasn’t as boring as she had expected. However, she could not help but feel as though she was being unconsciously gravitated towards something. The girl pursued her wonder, soon finding the cause of the magnetic pull.

Not even a second later, Eleven could feel that something was off. She looked around Joyce, who was still speaking to her, to find Mike who had Willow’s hand clasped between his. Well, at least he had just a minute prior to her checking. 

When El looked down, she had expected to see the sight of her bubbly daughter. Yet, her eyes were instead met with her husband’s hand holding tightly onto a teddy bear. 

El’s motherly watch darted all around them. She hoped to see her little girl standing somewhere near them, but felt sheer horror consume her as Willow appeared nowhere.

Joyce tapped her should, “El, what’s wrong?”

Typically in a moment like this, fear would have crippled Eleven’s ability to speak. But this was not one of those times.

“Mike! Where is Willow!?” she shouted, even though he was standing five feet away from her.

“She’s right h—,” he stopped short as he looked down, recognizing that his daughter’s hand had been replaced in the past few minutes with her favorite stuffed animal.

His mouth gapped open, unable to find words. Hopper had just been beside him talking about his novel, but he was no longer there either.

“Willow!” Hop yelled, receiving a few harsh glares in return.

El’s nervous system went into overdrive, her motherly instincts taking over robotically. She was going to find her daughter, with or without anyone’s assistance. However, just as she began to run away in search of her baby girl, she felt two sets of hands clasp onto her shoulders.

“Babe, you can’t go running around right now on your swollen feet. Just stay here with Joyce incase she wanders back, okay?” came Mike’s steady tone.

She was going to fight against this, but became distracted by another voice, “I’ll go with him. We’ll find her. Stay calm, kid.”

El wasn’t going to concede to their plan. She was silently preparing her muscles to pursue a sprint when her vision picked up on an eerily familiar sight.

Her mouth fell open, tears streaming down her face as she pointed at a white van that was parked a meter away from them. The group followed her guiding gesture, all processing what this might mean.

Mike had taken a step in the van’s direction when it quickly taxied away from the curb, speeding out of sight down the hectic street.

“Shit. What the hell, Hopper!? You said this was done! You said the lab and the bad men were gone a decade ago!” Mike spat while delivering a harsh shove against the man’s broad chest.

Hop grabbed ahold of Mike, “now isn’t the time. Let’s go find her. I don’t think it’s the lab, but if we can’t spot her in the next few minutes, then we’ll go right to the feds. Okay?”

The two men quietly banded together, taking steps away from the mother and daughter. El started striding after them, but was brought to a standstill when she ran smack into her husband’s back.

“El, I need you to stay here. Stay with Joyce and keep an eye out. Stay hydrated for you and the baby, we’ll be right back,” he aimed to speak calmly.

She ignored his statement, looking between both men, “bring her back to me. Please.” 

Without another word or promise uttered, they took off on their search. Joyce was left to silently coax her daughter who was now weeping in public. She smoothed her hair down, trying to calm her in any possible way.

Ten minutes had already passed and the men still hasn’t spotted Willow. They had asked every pedestrian they came across if they had seen a little girl sporting pig tails, but there was no luck. Nobody had seen her. 

Mike frustratedly kicked over a trashcan as curse words spewed out of his mouth, “I’m a fucking idiot. I’m a no good husband and a terrible father. She had been holding my hand and I somehow let her go. I promised I would keep them both safe and I couldn’t fucking do that.” 

Hopper did the only thing he thought would help in that moment. He forced his son-in-law into a tight embrace, rubbing his back as soothing as possible. He continued to hug the lanky boy as he shakily said, “we’re going to find her, Mike. I don’t think there’s any bad men. I feel like she’s around here somewhere. Let’s head back to El and find Willie.”

Hop only let go of the angst filled man once he had nodded along with what he had said. He allowed silence to settle between them for a brief second before opening his mouth to clarify one more thing.

“You’re a great dad, Mike. And you’re the best husband to my daughter. Everything is going to be okay,” Hopper assured.

Mike rolled his eyes in a doubting fashion, “how do you know that?”

“It’s like fate. Everything’s meant to be okay. I just know it,” the older man finished with a shrug.

Mike released a sob, crying the entire walk back. Hopper kept a supportive hold on his shoulder, subtly making sure the boy knew he was not walking alone.

They were just reaching the designated spot when they saw a frantic Joyce waving them down. She turned away from them, seemingly whispering to El, whose eyes were shut tightly.

Mike rushed forward to his wife, “baby, what’s going on? What’s happening?”

“She’s trying to find Willow. I told her not to, but she’s stubborn, so I’ve been letting her know she’s not alone and that I’m here with her,” Joyce’s voice shook.

Mike was going to thank his mother-in-law for taking care of his wife, but was overcome with great fear as El’s nose began bleeding heavier than normal.

“El, come back to me. You have to let go and stop this. This isn’t good for you or him, please come back to me,” he pleaded, voice breaking as tears continued to cascade down his face.

Not only was Mike afraid that he had lost his daughter, but he now feared for the love of his life and their unborn child.

El’s eyelids were starting to flutter as her body began to shake. Her mouth formed what appeared to be a hazardous smile, one that was forcefully trying to override her paralyzed form.

Mike held her porcelain face in his hands, urging her to come back to him when her eyes unexpectedly burst open. He watched as she gasped for air, her body not yet registering that it had recoiled itself back into reality. 

Her teeth chattered as if it was now winter. She fought with all of her strength to mutter one word, “i-ice cream.”

Her husband’s head spun around, eyes seeking out the ice cream cart he had spotted in the opposite direction that himself and Hopper had just searched in. What his sight discovered made him grin so widely that he felt as though his dimples were going to rupture.

There, less than a block away, was his dotting daughter. Hopper, who had seen her a minute before El was released from the void, was now spinning his granddaughter around in a circle. 

Eleven attempted to reach them, but found that the endeavor she had taken in order to find her daughter had left her feeling abnormally weak.

“M-mike, I’m dizzy. Please take me to Willow,” she said, fighting hard against her urge to faint.

Joyce shook her head at the couple, “stay. I’ll go get them so that they can come to you.”

In the time it took for the grandparents to get back to them, Mike had successfully settled El into the safety of his side. He held onto her tightly, making sure that she remained coherent.

“What’s wrong, mommy?” came a sweet angelic voice.

Eleven glanced down at her little girl, laughing at the fact that her face was covered in ice cream, “we didn’t know where you went! Why did you take off like that?”

Willow, who was now being hoisted up around Mike’s hip, spoke freely, “it felt like I had to go there. Like a call! I don’t ‘member walking there, just being with the ice cream.”

El went to inform her daughter that she cannot wander off whenever she got the sensation to, but found her lecture lost as she took notice of something familiar upon her daughter’s face. She brushed at the chocolate colored ice cream until another stain dominantly appeared.

There, literally right beneath Willow’s nose, was a dried layer of blood. 

Every present adult shared a look, Joyce hiding her shock by goofily asking her grandchild, “Willie, you don’t remember walking over there?”

The girl shook her head, confusion settling in and beginning to upset her. She was just starting to get teary eyed when Mike reached into his jean pocket, “here, sweetie. Mister bear missed you very much. Everything is okay.”

“Promise?” she chirped.

El lightly ran her fingers along her belly, making her daughter giggle at the ticklish touch, “promise.”

The parade was just about to start as the family of five decided it was best to excuse themselves from the festivities. Hopper managed to carry Willow back to the car on top of his shoulders so that Mike could properly escort his wife safely.

Less than five minutes into their drive, Willow had fallen asleep. The car was silent, each person waiting for someone to speak up now that the topic of conversation was unconscious.

“So, uh..” Hopper cleared his throat, “Glad to see Willie has taken after El. Seems she’s got the best genes.”

His attempt at humoring the situation landed him a slap on the shoulder from Joyce. He looked over and noticed her famous glare being thrown directly at him.

“Okay, but in all seriousness, she’s got the gift. Seems like she might.. I don’t know exactly, but teleport,” Hop clarified what he had meant to say previously.

Mike looked over at El, examining how she appeared to be taking all of this. Although she looked worn out, there was a part of her that was glowing.

El spoke softly, silently hoping her optimism was not misguided, “she has two parents that will teach her how to control her powers. She’s going to still have the same upbringing as any other child. She’s just spectacular.”

Eleven glanced at her husband, who was crying again. He grasped her hand and squeezed tightly, “she’s perfect the way she is, especially since she takes after her mother.”

After shifting the conversation to something much lighter, the adults decided they needed to make up for failing to see the independence parade. Following the new plan, Hopper stopped a few times along the way in order to pick up the holiday necessities. He purchased a various array of food and fireworks before arriving at their new destination.

Mike shook his daughter awake, “you ready to celebrate?”

Everyone laughed as the girl unbuckled her own car seat, essentially flinging her body out of the car. Once her feet found the ground, she looked around in wonder.

Her youthful eyes took in the sight of a meadow where millions of fireflies were roaming. It was like looking at the world’s most natural collection of never ending fireworks. 

She clapped her hands and looked up at her mom to beg, “can we catch ‘em?”

With her mother’s permission, she took off catching as many of the wondrous creatures her hands could capture. Once Willow had exhausted herself and the tiny glowing bugs, Hopper started preparing for the real show. Himself and Joyce created a beautiful private firework display for their family to enjoy as their hectic holiday concluded.

Joyce and Hopper were still keeping Willow for the night, especially now so that Mike and El had a chance to discuss how they would like to approach their daughter’s developing abilities.

“Are you sure we should do this? I feel like I should have my eye on her every minute right now,” El choked out, afraid to leave her daughter’s side.

Mike pulled her gently away from the car, “she’s going to be fine, love. Hop and Joyce can keep a watchful eye on her, right?”

Joyce nodded assuringly while Hopper found a sarcastic remark to be made, “nah, just gonna let her wander into the forest.”

What the man had not been expecting after making his snarky comment was a slap across various parts of his shoulders from three different palms. 

“Kid, I’m going to check on her every few minutes. She won’t be going anywhere, I promise,” Hop sincerely spoke as he then directed his attention towards Mike, “take care of my daughter tonight. I know she’s worn out from carrying that watermelon around, so make sure to provide her with an Eggo extravaganza.”

Mike nodded, “of course. We love you guys.”

The couple bid farewell to their daughter by placing multiple kisses amongst her freckled cheeks. They were just beginning to venture towards their building’s entrance when Mike wrapped an arm around El’s waist, letting his hand drift down until it reached her lower back.

“Wheeler! Hands off my daughter!” he heard his father-in-law shout out hastily.

The car then drifted away from the side of the road, still close enough to the couple that they could hear Joyce bite back at Hopper, “calm down, she’s already pregnant.”

Once inside, Mike and El shared a relaxing shower where minimal words were exchanged. They were both in need of washing away the stressors and worries that had consumed their day, finding this perfect opportunity to forget about everything except the passion they had for each other.

Afterwards, the two crawled into their sides of the bed. Eleven attempted to wiggle herself over to appropriately cuddle her husband, but found she had no energy to move both her and her unborn child.

Thankfully, Mike took the hint and nestled his wife into the comfort of his arms. He felt her soft breath radiating into the crook of his neck, helping him unwind even further.

As they settled in completely, Mike was rattled by a question he had meant to ask earlier, “what happened in the void?”

She glanced up at him, wearing a watery smile as she admitted, “someone was waiting there for me.”

“What? Who was it?” he was concerned now, feeling as though it could have been a person that had ill intent towards his family’s safety.

She choked out a cry and brought her husband’s hand to rest upon her prominent stomach, “i-it was him. He was there and he was so beautiful. He looked just like us, but I wasn’t quite sure until he called me mommy. He tugged me along and showed me where Willow was.

“W-what?” he was caught off guard by a strong kick, choosing then to divert his words at his son, “hey buddy, you did so good today. I love you so much.”

He looked back towards El and probed, “how old was he? What did he say? Can you tell me more?”

“He was around Willow’s age, maybe a bit younger. He just said, ‘mommy, you’re here! Willie is at the ice cream.’ And after he showed me, I thanked him, but I accidentally called him a name. I know we haven’t decided on one yet, but he lit up like he already knew that’s who he was,” she explained her experience with bright animation, turning slightly shy at the final part.

Mike looked at her in that moment with an excessive amount of adoration, as he had tended to do each day. His wife was a wondrous being and she completely owned his heart and soul.

He began tearing up due to the overwhelming onslaught of joy and love, “baby, that’s amazing. I wish I could have seen our boy too, but I will one day and that’s all that matters. What’s the name you thought fit him?”

“I wish you could’ve been there too. I can tell he’s definitely going to be so much like you,” she paused, nervous to admit the name, “I called him Benjamin, which is a name that’s been on my mind a lot lately.”

Mike’s eyes glimmered, “I love it. And I’m not just saying that. I really do love that name. It feels right.”

He solidified his message with a kiss to her stomach and whispered, “thank you for taking care of your mommy today, Benjamin.”

Her belly rippled in waves as more signs of movement sashayed along El’s delicate skin. The two parents stared at the sight, allowing it to sink into their cherished memories.

Soon, exhaustion came crashing down on both partners. They shifted themselves around into a spoon position so that Mike’s large hands were pressed protectively to her stomach. Eleven felt her husband pepper sweltering kisses along her bare spine before intertwining his legs with her’s.

“I love you, El. I love our family,” he solidified, almost as if he hadn’t said it enough that day.

“I love you too, more than anything,” she whispered as she drifted peacefully into a much need slumber.

That Fourth of July would forever be remembered clearly as the day the couple discovered their children would live a happily normal life, regardless of their exceptional capabilities.

It was also remembered as the last week that they would be parents to just one living human. Benjamin Wheeler would arrive earlier than expected, stirring up a concoction of chaos upon what was supposed to be an ordinarily spent day.

Their boy’s powers would develop even earlier than Willow’s had, making toys move on their own within his first year of life.

Each newfound surprise came with ease for the Wheeler’s as there was nothing that could defeat their strongest power of all. Love.

*********************************************

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession: I became truly lazy and couldn’t motivate myself to properly edit this, but I hope it turned out okay!  
> Heather, thank you again for your request. This was definitely fun for me to create.  
> Let me know what you all think! Always feel free to reach out in the comments with requests and more.  
> Until next time <3


	18. Waiting Game (1999)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A crash followed by a long lasting sleep. When will sleeping beauty wake up?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Months ago my beloved friend Jodie requested I write about Mike or Eleven being in a coma-like state. So here’s another attempt of me fiddling with angst, only to ultimately fail because I just really want Mileven to always have happy endings, okay? It’s what they deserve.

A constant beeping noise echoed off of the eggshell white walls. The fluorescent lights in the room were blindingly bright, but only the darkest emotions were festering inside of Mike Wheeler.

He was sat along side a hospital bed, clutching onto his wife’s hand. He caressed his thumb along her smooth knuckles, trying to distract himself from the fact that she had been unconscious for nearly five hours. So far, there was no sign of her awakening.

Mike had to forcefully drag his eyes up to her beautiful face, which was abnormally pale and coated in blossoming bruises. He gritted his teeth in anger; unbelievably maddened that this happened to them. To her.

The two had gone out for dinner and a movie to celebrate the new year. Hopper and Joyce had taken in Willow and Benjamin for the night, providing the couple with a chance to have a much needed date. However, they never made it to the movie. 

On their way to the theater, a car begun sliding across the icy concrete surface and was headed straight at Mike’s side, but he never felt the impact. El had busied herself by forcefully stopping the car, which thoroughly drained her.

They were just sharing a sigh of relief, looking over one another to assure they were okay when headlights suddenly illuminated El’s body. And Mike could still hauntingly see her face in that moment. Fear was evident there when she had realized what was coming, followed by the flash of pain that lasted a single moment before she fainted. 

A gorgeously gruesome gash appeared to develop on her hairline rather rapidly. Her arm had suffered damage as well, ultimately being broken in a few places. 

Mike couldn’t even feel himself screaming, but the ringing in his ears informed him that he was. He held on to his wife, pleading for her to wake up. He hoped she could hear him and prayed that she knew he couldn’t lose her.

According to the police that arrived on the scene, the driver of the car had been heavily intoxicated. And even though he took that piece of information into consideration, Mike still couldn’t stop himself from feeling as though this was his fault. She saved him from being in this position and somehow ended up being injured herself.

He was now leaning forward in the uncomfortable hospital chair to kiss her forehead and remained hovering over her as he whispered, “please wake up, El. I need you. Willow and Ben need their mom. I know it’s selfish of me, but please come back. I need to see those pretty eyes, I need my home here.”

Mike gave it a few minutes, hopeful that his words would have somehow healed her back to health. But when nothing happened, he felt his optimism deflate. The sobs that were violently wracking his body caused so much physical pain that he nearly lost consciousness, but he wanted to remain stable for the sake of being here whenever El woke up.

After pausing the emotion that threatened to destroy him; he softly began creeping into the empty space beside her in the bed, being incredibly mindful of her injuries. He gently lifted her battered cranium, placing her delicate head onto the safety of his chest.

“You’re going to be okay. Not for me or anyone else, but for you. You deserve to live a long, happy life. I love you and everything is going to be okay. I promise,” he murmured, tenderly rubbing his warm hand up and down her back.

Seven hours after the accident, Mike was struggling to fight off sleep. His orbs had just forcefully fallen shut when he heard footsteps enter the room. A familiar throat cleared before he was even able to pry open his heavy eyelids.

Hop was there, looking mightily disheveled. He went to take a step towards the bed, but found his knees were too wobbly. After pulling himself together a bit more, he successfully landed into the hospital chair that Mike had once resided in.

The man tried to speak, only to release a series of broken cries. He leaned forward and put a hand on the top of his daughter’s head, smoothing her hair down as he choked out, “my little girl.”

Neither of the men uttered a word for the next twenty minutes, simply crying in the company of one another.

“El, it’s dad,” Hopper broke the sorrowful silence, “I’m so proud of you. So, so proud. You have a beautiful family and I’m happy to be a part of it. There’s a lot left to come and we all need you here for it.”

Hop grabbed her hand, tracing the blue hair tie that was wrapped around her wrist, “I haven’t seen anyone like this since Sara. All the tubes and the wires,” he trailed off, needing a second to breathe, “you’re going to meet her one day, but not now. I need my little girl here. I love you, Ellie.”

Right ater the father had concluded speaking, he reached out his other free hand to clasp Mike’s. The two men looked at each other, both sporting equally wounded expressions.

“It’s my fault. I couldn’t save her,” Mike whimpered.

Hopper shook his head profusely, gripping the boy’s shoulder steadily, “neither of you could’ve stopped this from happening. He was drunk and it came out of nowhere. It’s not your fault.”

“It is my fault. She stopped the car that was going to hit me and because of that she didn’t see this one coming,” he spat, his whole body shaking, “it should have been me in this position. God, I wish it would have been me.”

Mike couldn’t bring himself to look at the man in front of him after saying what he had just admitted. He could hear Hop calling his name, desperately seeking his attention; but he couldn’t reach his eyes, afraid of the disappointment he would see there.

Hopper rested both of his hands on Mike’s cheeks, squishing them comically in the process, “look at me, kid. This is not your fault. There is nothing either of you could have done to prevent this. She is the strongest person you and I know. She will make it through this, okay?”

The boy with raven hair just shook his head as tears cascaded down his freckled face, “I can’t lose her. We have kids.. we have this family and I can’t do it without her here.”

The burly man in front of him tried his hardest not to cry. He understood what Mike meant. El represented completely different things in her husband and father’s lives, but that didn’t change the fact that she was singlehandedly the best part of life for them. Without her presence, there would be something much more damaging than a mere black hole.

“Kid, I understand, but you need to keep your head up high. We are going to get her back. You and I both know she wouldn’t let go without a fight,” Hopper urged.

Mike pressed his chapped lips to his wife’s head, speaking softly against her scalp, “wake up, El. Hop and I are useless without you.”

Hop chuckled, ruffling the boy’s unruly curls before pecking his daughter’s head as well, “he’s right, Ellie. When you’re ready, wake up.”

The two men sat there for another hour before the doctor came in to do a check up. The medical professional had informed them at the time that if El didn’t wake up within the next twelve hours that they would have to proceed with further brain examinations to see if there was any life threatening trauma they had missed previously. 

They were left to sit on this information, trying to repress what could still unfold, but then Hop suddenly remembered something, “I left Joyce with the kids in the waiting area. Did you want to bring them in here?” 

Mike thought it over, feeling conflicted about what to do. On one hand, he thought that maybe their presence would help El wake up sooner. Yet, on the other hand, Willow was now old enough to be aware of the condition that her mother was in.

“Willow’s over three now.. it’s not like with Ben, who’s not even one and wouldn’t even remember if his favorite bottle went missing,” he sighed, “I just don’t want Willow to be scared and upset.”

Hopper nodded along, validating his son-in-laws concerns, “maybe we can wait a bit longer and see how things are looking before we bring them in.”

Just as they had agreed to the idea, Joyce came bounding into the room. However, she came empty handed. No children were in sight.

Joyce rushed forward and brought Mike into a strong embrace before her hands daintily threaded into her daughter’s knotted hair, “Nancy came and got the kids. Her and Jonathon are going to keep them overnight if that’s okay.. I just wanted to be here with our girl.”

Her words clarified all of the questions Mike had for her, leaving him to simply nod along to what she had said. With nothing left to be said, the three of them sat there silently. Each one of them were aching to see those familiar warm brown eyes with golden colored specks open up and greet them. They waited anxiously for another few hours until Hopper and Joyce eventually fell asleep.

It was morning now and the life-giving sun was tauntingly peaking into the room between the cheap blinds. 

Gosh, all El could think in that moment was that she wished the room could have been a bit darker when she first woke up.

Her brain had just replayed everything that happened; which made her terrified to move, in fear of finding out that Mike had been hurt. Actually, on second thought, the idea of her husband and his possible condition only propelled her to stir.

She fluttered her eyes, taking in the sight of her parents curled up against each other. She smirked at the lovely sight, happy that they were able to find rest at this time. 

Just as she was going to move her head, she acknowledged that she felt entirely too comfortable. Yes, the pain from where her head had met the windshield was aching, but there was something more interesting that was distracting her from that. 

The surface her skull was pressed into had a distinctively familiar scent and it was soothingly moving up and down. Again, she went to pick her head up, but then a sleepy voice rattled the atmosphere.

“Good morning, love. I hope you can hear me and are making fun of all of the mushy things I’ve said,” he curtly chuckled, sighing as he continued, “I just need you to know that I love you. I’ve needed you in my life since the night I met you in the rain. I just know I can’t lose you. This world can’t afford to lose someone like you. So again, I’m selfishly hoping you’ll wake up for the rest of us. We need your light here, El. I love you, baby.”

Eleven immediately felt her heart swell up within her chest at the words he had just uttered. She felt guilty for putting him through this much worry and pain, knowing that if she was in his place that she would have been going out of her mind. 

A few tears escaped her eyes, soaking through the material of Mike’s warm sweater. She skipped attempting to move her head this time, instead wetting her dehydrated mouth to hopefully get a few words out. 

“I-I love yo—“ she had nearly completed her sentence when her voice went flat.

Mike, whose ears had perked up at the sound of his favorite voice in the world, had to wonder if his mind was beginning to play cruel tricks on him. He felt a pair of lips press into his sternum, clarifying that his wife was actually conscious.

He used a featherlight touch to lift her head up, carefully dancing his long fingers along her soft cheeks as he starred into her glazed over eyes. He had so much to say; wanting to make sure she was feeling okay, to assure she knew how much he loved her, but found that he couldn’t get anything to come out.

El watched her husband move painstakingly closer to her as he rested his forehead against her’s. Mike pressed his lips together, hoping to contain his relieved sobs, but failed.

“I love you,” came Eleven’s gravelly voice.

He airily laughed at the sound of his wife, “I love you so much. How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay. I have a headache and my arm is sore, but I think that’s expected. You can’t get rid of me so easily, babe,” she finished sarcastically, hoping to shed some humor into the situation.

Her husband began to speak, pecking along her jawline as he whispered, “I’m so happy you’re awake. I love you. And I’m never going to stop saying that. I love you, El Wheeler.”

Mike had to physically and mentally force himself to pull away from her so that he could press the nurse button that was beside him. He had lots left to say, but making sure she was truly okay was his main priority. He needed to assure there was not a remaining chance of losing her.

When Hopper awoke just fifteen minutes later, he found that he room was empty. He jolted up, disturbing Joyce and knocking a stray piece of paper that had been politely placed on his hand to the ground in the process. He looked down at what he had dropped, recognizing the horrible penmanship that spelled out, ‘she’s up, just doing tests. Be back soon.’

And true to the note’s declaration, it was just twenty minutes later that the couple returned. The tests all resulted with positive feedback, signifying that Mrs. El Wheeler was not getting away from this life anytime soon.

Hop had jumped out of his seat in joy when Mike rolled Eleven back into the room. He giddily galloped over to young married couple and lifted his daughter out of the wheelchair, cradling her into his body as he had when she was a young teen.

He rested his bearded chin on her head and lowly said, “I knew you would be okay, Ellie. My girl’s a fighter.”

His words brought tears to her eyes, feeling pride in the strength she mustered. She went to respond, but soon felt a cold hand hold onto her wrist.

“We were so worried. How are you feeling?” Joyce questioned.

El shrugged nonchalantly as Hop laid her back in bed, “I’m fine. I’m sore, but I’m here,” she giggled briefly before abruptly stopping.

A look of horror crossed her face as her eyes darted around the room. Her sudden facial expression triggered Mike’s body into a frenzied panic. He hazardously sat next to her, squeezing her waist gently to get her attention.

“What’s wrong, love? Are you in pain? Should I go get the doctor? I know we’re in a hospital, but I can dial 911–“ his rambling was interrupted as El asked a question that he had wondered just twelve hours ago.

“Where’s Willow and Benjamin? Where are my babies?” she asked in a hurry.

Then, as if the universe had planned to hand over her answer as directly as possible, a new voice pipped up from the doorway. 

“We come bearing our niece and nephew,” Jonathan exclaimed humorously.

There, in Jon’s arms, was a wiggly little girl. It appeared as if Willow was trying to swim through the air, practically begging to be gravitated closer to her mother.

“Mommy!” her three year old daughter squealed, causing a happy smile to break out on El’s mildly damaged face.

Tears sprung to her eyes as she held her arms out, “sweetie, how are you?”

Willow’s uncle delicately deposited the toddler into her mother’s arms, “I missed you so much mommy! But I got to be with grandma and Hoppy. Then Benny and I went with Uncle Jonathan and Auntie Nancy!” the girl gushed excitedly.

“Wow! That sounds like a lot of fun!” El grinned, but soon felt her bright emotion take a tired toll on her wounded condition.

Mike, who was supervising the exchange with a smile of his own, became protectively worried. He stepped forward and patted Willow’s curly hair lovingly, “mommy’s been through a lot, so she needs to take it easy.”

His daughter frowned in response, not fully understanding the severity of what had happened, “what’s wrong with mama?” then looked back at El with her brows furrowed in distress, “mama?”

“I got a few boo-boos, but I’m going to be just fine,” she finished assuring the confused girl by bopping the tip of her tiny nose.

Willow wanted to make sure her parents were being honest, so she double checked their story by quietly asking, “promise?”

Eleven lifted up her unbroken arm and linked her pinky with her daughter’s much smaller one, “I promise.”

A beat passed before Nancy, who had her five month old nephew swaddled in her arms, took a step closer, “even after quite an accident, you still manage to be the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen.”

“Hey! Stop hitting on my wife!” Mike playfully nudged his sister’s shoulder.

Not another word could be spoken as the baby began to cry. Nancy looked up at her sister-in-law, mentally asking if she wanted to take him, and was given her answer as El sent her a content nod. Benny’s cries concluded almost immediately after he was placed onto his mother’s chest. 

Mike walked around to the head of the bed, laying a hand on his daughter’s back and firmly placing a long lasting kiss to the top of El’s head. Just before he pulled away, a flash lit up the room.

“Ouch!” Eleven yelped as she clamped her eyes shut.

“Jonathan, what the hell is wrong with you?” Mike’s tone was harsh, his temper not being masked very easily.

Jonathan felt terrible, hastily putting away his camera as he struggled to stutter out, “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t m-mean to.”

Hop mellowly defended his stepson, “kid, he didn’t mean any harm. He just wanted to capture this nice family reunion.”

Mike went to speak up again, but was cut off by his wife, “Jon, it’s okay. My eyes are just sensitive to the light, but it’s really no worries. All is forgiven as long as you make sure to send me a copy of that.”

The room remained tense for the minute that followed until Willow; who had apparently fallen asleep, loudly snored, causing the adults to share a hearty laugh. 

It was Nancy that ended the shortly lived silence, “we are all really glad you’re okay, El. I couldn’t imagine you not being in my family.. especially when Jonathan and I decide to have our first kid because I’ll definitely be in need of your expertly advice.”

Eleven’s cheeks heated up at the compliment, “thanks, but you two are going to be naturals. Remember the day Benny was born? I think that alone proves that you and Jonathan will be perfectly fine.”

Everyone present shared a warm smile, delighted to hear positivity exuding from the iridescent woman that remained resting in the hospital bed. There was simply something so incredibly admirable about El and everyone she encountered could sense it.

“Well, I think we should be getting out of here so you can get some rest. Please call us if you need anything Ellie,” Jonathan said, reaching forward and hugging his sister lovingly.

“I’m sorry about the picture. I just.. I was being an asshole,” Mike exhaled, “thank you both for watching our kids. We love you.”

Shortly after Nancy and Jonathan had departed from the room, Joyce offered up a plan about how the rest of the evening could go, “I can stay with El here tonight if you want to go get some rest, Mike.”

Eleven chipped in too, “you should take the kids home and get a good night of sleep. They’re discharging me in the morning, so I’ll be fine.”

There was no way on earth he was leaving her side, especially after what had just happened. Sure, the idea of returning home and enjoying a nice warm shower was perfectly appealing. Yet, the idea of climbing into bed without his wife left a sour taste in his mouth.

“It’s really kind of you to offer, but I have to stay here with her,” he responded with evident finality.

Joyce and El were both going to protest his decision, but a gruff voice chimed in, “Joyce and I can stay at your house tonight so that the kids can sleep in their own spaces. Sound like a deal?”

“I would appreciate that a lot. Thank you both,” Mike agreed.

After coming to a formal consensus, the group was ready to head out. Mike and El wished their children sweet dreams, promising to be with them once again when blue and yellow met in the west the next day. 

Joyce had just said her farewells to the couple when Hopper seemed to linger back. Eleven furrowed her brows in confusion, “you okay, dad?”

Instead of receiving any kind of verbal confirmation, the man burst into a fit of cries. They were all stunned for a moment, making them feel temporarily paralyzed.

Mike was the first to break out of the spell, reaching his father-in-law quickly to bring him into an embrace, “are you okay?”

Alls Hopper did in that moment was nod, still not utilizing his words. He allowed the lanky boy to hang onto him for a few more seconds before saying, “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t help but think of Sara and think of what I would’ve done if El didn’t make i—“

Eleven’s voice stopped him, “dad, I’m not going anywhere. I know this is hard and I’m sorry we’re in this situation, but I’m going to be fine. I’m still right here.”

Mike clapped his hand on Hop’s shoulder as he released his hold, setting the man free to walk over to El. He sat himself on the bed and hugged his little girl while being careful about all of the medical equipment she was hooked up to.

“You make life worth it for all of us. I’m sorry I got all blubbery on you, but you’re my daughter. Let me know if you need anything. I love you,” Hopper cooed into her ear, treating her as fragile as he had when he found her in the snow all those years ago.

A few tears escaped El before she laughed, seeming to use that as a way of forcing out the remaining negativity, “I’ll always be your little girl. Thank you for taking care of us,” then she whispered extra low, assuring nobody else heard her say, “especially Mike. Thank you for taking care of him while I wasn’t able to these past few hours.”

“No need to thank me. He and I helped each other,” he spoke just as silently.

It was then that the true goodbyes were exchanged as the grandparents excused themselves and their grandchildren from the hospital suite. 

As soon as they were alone, Mike wasted no time as he swiftly landed beside his wife. He briskly maneuvered Eleven’s injured head until it resided back in the safety of his chest, placing a few kisses along her bandages as she sighed contently.

El reciprocated the affection she was receiving by sliding her hands underneath of his sweater, mindlessly stroking the soft skin of his abdomen. Moments after she did this, she felt him tighten up beneath her touch. She glanced up at him and found his face contorted in mixed emotion.

She warmly kissed his collarbone and asked, “is everything okay?”

“I’m okay. I just can’t believe I almost lost you right after you had saved me. I don’t know what I would’ve done with myself,” he choked out, trying his hardest not to cry for the one hundredth time that day.

“Hey, its alright. I’m relieved I was able to save you from being hurt and I know if you could have, you would have protected me too. But Mike, you save me each day just by being you. You’re the best husband and the best father to our children. We have a long life ahead of us.”

Mike squeezed her hip in response, forlornly trying to pull her in even closer to his side. Clearly comprehending what he wanted, El lifted her leg so that their middles were aligned. Due to her injuries, this was unfortunately as close as the two of them could get to being fully melted into one another.

With the assistance of pain medicine and her husband’s comfort, she was already drifting to sleep when he stated wholeheartedly, “you save me everyday of this life. You save me with every smile, every laugh.. you save me just by being here. I love you.”

She nestled her head further into the crook of his neck, “I love you more than everything.”

The two of them made their overnight stay in the hospital a very relaxing one. All bodily injuries aside, it nearly felt like a couple’s retreat. Being wrapped up in one another’s arms was all it took for the two to feel as if they were in their kingdom called home.

When Mike awoke the next morning, he felt relief wash over him as he took notice of his wife, who was already awake.

They exchanged a look, gradually tilting their faces towards each other until their lips connected. El, who was feeling well rested, took advantage of her newfound energy and swiped her tongue teasingly along her husband’s lower lip. He responded with a groan, granting her with pleading permission to explore his mouth further. 

The married couple nearly forgot the situation that had occurred the day before until a nurse entered the room with a gasp. After profusely apologizing to the woman that had just witnessed far too much for this early hour, they moved on to successfully completing El’s discharge plan. Just like that, she was now deemed well enough to recover in the comfort of her home.

Due to the fact that their car was now totaled; they were stuck seated in the waiting room, eagerly looking out for Hopper’s truck. Eleven, who was getting antsy, distracted herself by massaging Mike’s thigh.

He turned to his wife, looking down at her hand before trailing his eyes up to her’s, “what are you doing, Mrs. Wheeler?”

“I’m not doing anything at all,” she casually replied.

Mike lifted his brow in disbelief, “what’s on your mind?”

He watched as his wife’s face twisted into a devious smirk, “I was just thinking about the fact that I’m going to be on bed rest for awhile. So that’s a lot of time for us to spend with each other. Plus, I have this broken arm, so I’m sure going to need some help bathing for a bit.”

After El had finished her teasing remarks, she risked taking a sneaky glance at her husband, whose face was now fully flushed. He attempted to speak, but looked as though something had taken away his ability to do so.

“You okay, babe?” she asked innocently.

He collected himself as fast as he could before brushing his lips underneath her ear, “as much as I wish this hadn’t happened to you, I must admit I’m looking forward to taking care of you.”

The two then shared a laugh, happy with the outcome of this unfortunate event. However, this didn’t mean that the road ahead of them was filled with sunshine and rainbows.

The next several months of recovery would involve much more than just El’s physical recuperation. It would take her weeks to courageously get back into a car. It would include an endless amount of long nights where grueling nightmares overcame Mike, making him awaken in fear that his wife would no longer be beside him.

Yet, the chaos that once swirled into their lives would eventually disappear after awhile as it always did. The sun would rise again and the fright of losing one another would disintegrate to ashes. 

A year later, Mike caught a glimpse of the puckered pink scar that was normally hidden beneath her hair. He would crane his neck downward and gracefully plant kisses upon the mark that symbolized her strength as he muttered, “I love you.”

El would look up at him, a blush coating her cheeks as she embraced the adoration he showered her in, “I love you too.”

The married couple would spend the next few decades without any more life threatening mishaps occurring. A long spanning life together was the only thing that was guaranteed in the soulmates never-ending happily ever after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this! Let me know your thoughts in the comments, I love hearing from you all.
> 
> Also, I just wanted to inform anyone that reads this that my updates may start becoming less frequent as my classes and internship start back up again. You can still expect to see me post hopefully at least once or twice per month!  
> In the meantime though, if any of you need anything, feel free to reach out to me on tumblr! (username: thedreams-theyfloat)
> 
> And as always, leave any requests you may have!! It’ll help me write more frequently if I have some ideas to run with, (seeing as my brain will soon be fried with stress and other muck). 
> 
> Sending you all lots of love <3


	19. Dedicated to my Dream (1991)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking a pen to paper, one of them formed the habit of ‘El Wheeler’ gracing the pages they wrote upon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very thankful for my reader on here, thesnarkknight, who took the time to comment on my last one-shot and later connected with me on tumblr. They had brilliantly requested I write about Mike or El finding out that the other had been writing things like, ‘El Wheeler’ dreamily in a diary/on a paper. Thesnarkknight, I hope this fulfills your excellent request well!  
> Enjoy the fluffy goodness!

Recalling childhood fantasies is almost like an out of body experience. To remember what was once desperately dreamed of can nearly elicit a floating sensation because it’s too hard to imagine such ambitious inventions being reality.

Mike Wheeler can retrace his memory far back enough to when he was a twelve year old boy that simply wanted to write adventurous Dungeons & Dragons quests for he and his fellow party members to embark on. Since then, not much has changed at all.

Present day, at the age of nineteen, Mike was just beginning to dive deeply into his second year of college. He had originally started out as an English major; but over the summer, with the assistance of his supportive girlfriend, he realized that the major he desired to be in most was the Creative Writing program.

His most recent project was titled, ‘the what if game?’. Each student was given their own individual, ‘what if’, prompt and of course; Mike being the lucky person he was, received one that made his mind numb.

He spent hours staring at a blank sheet of paper that silently taunted him. The only words on the page spelled out the daunting question itself.

‘What if your favorite thing in the world was no longer available?’

Somewhere deep in the writer’s mind, he knew that this question wasn’t intended to be taken so harshly. If anyone else would have been given this, they probably would have already written a gloriously heart wrenching piece about how gloomy their universe would be without chocolate. But Mike’s mind seemingly could not shake the image of this life without his girl.

Instead of making up a response that lacked realness, he focused on channeling the darkness that contaminated his soul for three hundred and fifty three days of his life.

Just a mere hour had passed and suddenly the pages beneath his pen began bleeding out inked words. He felt satisfied with what he had brought to life, but was too drained from the onslaught of what life without Eleven would be like to make proper editing marks on whatever grammatical errors he may have made along the way. On the bright side, he knew a person that thoroughly enjoyed reading and critiquing his art prior to the final draft being submitted.

“How’s the assignment coming along?” came the voice he had just been thinking of.

Mike turned around in his seat to reply and found himself nearly falling at the sight. His girlfriend; who looked gorgeous in anything, was sporting his Jurassic Park t-shirt, which apparently made a well suited dress for her short petite frame. And to top off the effortlessly captivating look, she had her ruthless curls scattered into a messy bun. God, the girl could have worn a trash bag and she still would have been the most attractive person he had ever seen.

“I think I finished it up,” he declared before shyly asking, “would you mind proofreading it for me? I just really need to know if it’s dumb or not. I think I sound dramatic, but the prompt was hard and I couldn’t think of anything but you. Maybe it’s too sappy. I should just restar—“

Mike’s rambling was quickly defeated by the presence of El’s lips. She pecked his moving mouth several times before dropping herself into his lap as she always did. 

She leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose, “everything you write is beautiful. Even Hopper says it is. The assignment you made last month is now framed on his dresser.”

Mike smirked, “Hop only put that up because I wrote about the time he taught me to drive,” he giggled at the memory then sighed, “this one wasn’t so much based on a true story, but more of what could have happened, so I feel like it may not be that great.”

“Nonsense. You can write about mowing the lawn and it would somehow sound angelic,” El praised him with her honest opinion.

Her boyfriend responded by tickling her sides, drawing out her contagious laughter, “you only say that because you love me.”

“Hmm..” she processed, eyes gleaming devilishly as she poked him further, “I actually only said that because I think you’re cute.”

Her witty remark got her punished by more dainty touches that made her skin delightfully squirm, but as soon as she caught her breath, she clarified, “I really mean what I said. Everything you write is always remarkable work. I don’t say that just because I love you, I say it because it’s true. You’re a great writer, love.”

Mike cupped her cheek lovingly, cherishing the face that rested within his grasp, “thank you for always validating me when I need it most. You make me the luckiest man alive.”

“And you make me the luckiest girl. Now, let me go read this,” El snatched his papers right out of his hand as she dashed back into their bedroom.

Once she had situated her body back into the comfort of their queen sized mattress, she readied herself for another incredible read.

Her warm eyes became glazed over with rapidly welling up tears even prior to her finishing the first sheet. Reading about what Mike thought life would be like if she were no longer present made her chest dully ache. By the end of the essay, her rosy cheeks were coated in the aftermath of salty tears.

She had just flipped back to the first page when she finally took notice of what was written at the tippy top of the paper. Right above the title was something that stood out to her clearer than anything else in this world. 

‘Dedicated to my soulmate, El Wheeler.’

Eleven’s pupils dilated as her eyes danced hurriedly back and forth between those six words, wanting to make sure her vision was seeing things properly.

An overwhelming amount of emotions hit her once she was certain that her boyfriend’s sloppy penmanship actually spelled out that name. She began to feel herself breathe unevenly as reality settled, the air starting to come in and out of her lungs in shallow hitches.

The possibility of someday being Mike’s wife felt too good to be true. El Wheeler felt like it was an excellent dream that she would unfortunately never be able to obtain.

Had he written that as a joke? Did he think the idea of her being El Wheeler was something to chuckle at?

She could not hold back the cries that were escaping her due to the horrors that were becoming graphically depicted within her self-deprecating mind.

She must have failed to realize how loudly she was hyperventilating because her body was already being cradled before she even registered the calming voice in her ear.

“It’s okay baby, I’m here. I’m right here. Just breathe with me, okay?” his voice was laced with heavy concern, uncertain as to why his girlfriend was now in shambles.

As soon as her golden speckled eyes connected to his deep brown ones, he whispered, “in and out. In and out,” he breathed with her to assure she remained stable, “that’s it. You’re doing amazing, love. Keep breathing like that with me.”

El’s heart that had sunken low within her chest gradually began to float back to where it belonged from all the comfort she was receiving. She felt herself begin to light up more as Mike’s large hand steadily traced lines along her nimble spine.

He must have sensed her mellowing as he was now peppering kisses across her cheeks. He stopped himself after a minute and leaned his forehead against her’s.

“Baby, look at me” he probed, pausing himself until he received the eye contact he had been seeking, “are you okay?”

All Eleven could muster in that moment was a nod accompanied by what she had hoped to be a happy close-lipped smile. However, it did not seem to settle her beloved’s worries.

“You can talk to me. Please tell me what’s wrong,” he pleaded.

Mike’s eyes snapped to her mouth as her voice tumbled out quietly, “I-I read every part of your writing. It was very beautiful and moving,” she said, only telling half of the truth.

“I made you cry that much? Jesus, I’m such an idiot. I should’ve known not to stress you out with reading that stuff and should’ve known it could’ve made you upset. I’m so sorry. I’m a wasteoid—“

He was interrupted in the midst of berating himself by El profusely shaking her head back and forth against his. He looked up and saw tears gathering around the edges of her eyes again.

“It’s not that. Well, I did shed some tears at remembering how those three hundred and fifty three days were for you and I,” she huffed a strong breath, bracing herself as she revealed, “but I saw your dedication and I couldn’t help but think you were joking.”

Mike’s eyes then wandered down to where the assignment laid on the bed. As if it were written in gigantic letters, he saw from a great distance away that he had forgotten to erase the little note he put on the top of each essay he writes. He was usually much better at remembering to scribble out the inspiring mantra he had depended on before handing over his work to El.

He could feel his freckles pop out as his face flushed, “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable with that. It’s just something that I—“ he abruptly cut himself off as the words she had spoken replayed in his mind, “wait, did you just say you thought I was joking with that?”

El trapped her bottom lip between her teeth as she shrugged, “I just feel like it’s silly of you to want to marry me when you could have some other girl who is perfect. Someone who is more deserving than me.”

Mike knew he and Eleven both had ugly insecurities, but hearing the words she could even think of being remotely true made him feel off-balanced. He was not going to let another second go by without making sure she knew that the only thing that could make him happier in this world is if she would become his wife.

“Can I tell you something without you laughing?”

El furrowed her brows at his random question, mumbling ‘sure’ so that he would go on.

“I knew I was in love with you after you closed the gate. I had all these crazy ideas of us spending the rest of our lives together and those thoughts kinda poured over into real life,” he paused, cracking a dimply smile, “a week after the snow ball, Lucas had borrowed my notebook at lunch to copy the notes he missed and broke out laughing when he saw I had a whole page covered in things like, ‘El + Mike’ and ‘Mike and El Wheeler’. There was also a bunch of lopsided hearts I had drawn, but it didn’t matter that I got made fun of for it. I was just so happy you were here... I guess the point I’m trying to make is, ever since I was thirteen, I’ve imagined spending my life with you. There’s nobody else I could ever love and I really hope someday very soon you’ll do me the honor of being El Wheeler.”

El took awhile to process the information Mike had just shared; too busy trying to visualize what those adorable handwritten declarations of love he had made looked like to stop herself from responding with the first goofy thing that had popped into her mind.

“What about Mike Hopper? Ever thought of being a Hopper?” she proposed lamely.

Luckily, Mike grinned, “I’m just imagining what Hop would do if I stole his last name,” he chuckled a bit before deciding, “but last names don’t matter. As long as we’re married someday soon, then that’s all that matters. Forever isn’t ever going to be long enough with you, but it’s all I want. Marrying you would be my greatest dream come true.”

El responded to his lovely remarks by collapsing her body’s weight unceremoniously into his lap. Her desperately uncoordinated move sent Mike onto his back, so she was now practically laying on top of him. The two basked in the new sloppy position they wound up in, memorizing the feeling of love that passed between their electrified skin.

“I’ve wanted to be your wife since the day I found out what marriage even is. So when the time is right, we’ll make it official,” she confessed, allowing herself to be as vulnerable as he was with her.

Mike squeezed her waist and dragged her closer into his chest. Her head had delicately perched on his shoulder as he buried his face into the crook of her neck.

He inhaled her familiar scent and mumbled, “promise?”

“I promise, Mike Hopper,” she giggled.

Both of them were lost in a fit of hysterics, thriving off of the giddiness that consumed them before Eleven decided to clarify, “I’d actually really like to be El Wheeler, though. So can we definitely go with that?”

“If that’s what you want, then yes. And just to be sure, the assignment was okay?”

El tilted her head to the right and lightly brushed her lips along his sharp jawline, “it was amazing. In fact, I would like to frame it once your professor has graded it.”

“Sure, but I’ll have to charge you five dollars to keep my work. That stuff isn’t free, you know?” he joked.

In retaliation, Mike found himself on the receiving end of being tickled. He soon trapped her small hands that were caught pestering his ribcage and brought them up to his lips, “I love you, El.”

She wasted no time before molding her lips to his, properly sending them off into the heat of the moment until exhaustion came barreling at them.

That night, the two lovers found rest within each other’s embrace. Mike gently ran his fingers through El’s hair as she slept on his chest, a silent way of him thanking her for supporting each one of his dreams. She singlehandedly encouraged him to possess the ability to continue writing even on days like these where he doubted the talent he carried.

Mike did not know it that evening, but a year from now he would be experiencing his greatest writer’s high ever. The urge to produce eloquent work would emerge from within him just twenty four hours after he had successfully proposed to El. 

In fact, the days that followed the engagement actually birthed the beginning few chapters of what would become his first published book. And on the page just before the title would be those six familiar words.

Dedicated to my soulmate, El Wheeler.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you to all that read this! Feel free to leave comments about your favorite part or about something you’d like to see me write in the future!  
> Sending you all lots of warmth xx <3


	20. Super Siblings (2001)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two children with superpowers. What could possibly go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lovely reader of mine, Bato, had requested I write about Mike and El’s kids having a fight. So, without further rambling, I present you with exactly that! Enjoy! (and thank you, Bato, for sharing a brilliant request!)

Waking up in an empty bed was something Mike Wheeler was beginning to get used to.

Before having children and falling into the swing of reality, his favorite part of each day was rousing to the feel of his wife nestled in his arms. Now he was becoming all too familiar with the absent cool touch of their fine linen sheets.

Once he convinced himself to roll out of bed, he felt his body accept its usual gravitational pull down the hall, slowly drifting closer towards the heart of his home.

He could hear the distant giggles from his children who were sat at the dining room table, but he was too distracted by the sight of his wife to even spare a glance their way.

There, positioned perfectly in front of a waffle iron, was El. She had on a comfortable set of deteriorating ripped jeans and a lose hanging flannel shirt that belonged to Mike. Her plain sailing appearance never failed to make her husband’s heart skip a beat even after all these years.

Mike tiptoed silently behind her, taking her by surprise when he wrapped his long arms around her slender waist. He dipped his head down, burying his face into the crook of her neck as he murmured, “good morning, love. How long have you been up?”

El pressed a kiss to the top of his head, “about an hour. You know that I can’t sleep past seven anymore between the kids and my body’s annoying inability to sleep in.”

Eleven had become quite an early bird over the past few years. One of the reasons for that was her steady job at a high school. She has been a guidance counselor there since the year before Willow was born, so with the combination of her work schedule and the kids; sleeping in just failed to come to her naturally. 

On the other hand, Mike’s only real time to unwind was when he slept in. He had been the chaotic combination of a full time writer and a stay at home dad for the past six years. It was exhausting, but the opportunity of doing what he loved while taking care of his children was most appealing. 

Willow, who was now in first grade, disappeared each week day to attend school. While Mike missed spending all those quality hours with his little girl, he still found himself plenty busy looking after his disastrous three year old son.

“How have the kids been for you this morning?” he questioned casually as his head ventured further down his wife’s chest, lightly pecking at her exposed collarbone.

El subtly whimpered at the affections he was showering her in before forcing herself to focus on the task at hand, “they’ve been fine, just anxious to get their hands on some more waffles.”

“I can think of a few things I’m more desperate to get my hands on besides your homemade waffles,” Mike mused, sneakily unclasping one of the buttons that had been holding her shirt together.

She gasped at his remark and action, whacking his shoulder very timidly with a spatula, “Michael Wheeler if I didn’t know any better I would say you are trying to seduce me!”

He chuckled at her, slightly losing himself in a trace as he watched her reattach the button he had just unfastened, “is it working?”

The married couple then shared a knowing glance, one that held mounting tension between their dilating pupils. The heat of their isolated moment was immediately evaporated as pitter patters of feet came bounding towards them.

“Mama, when will the waffles be ready?” Benjamin asked while tugging on his mother’s sleeve.

El ruffled his raven curls, “any minute now, Benny.”

She then glanced up at her daughter who was lifted up in her husband’s arms, “I’m going to be heading out soon, so I need you to keep these two boys in order. Can you do that for me, Willie?”

“But it’s Saturday,” Willow said with a pout, “it’s supposed to be all four of us together. Where are you going?”

Mike adjusted his daughter’s weight in his arms, “mommy’s only going to be gone for a few hours. She has to run an errand with grandpa, remember?”

“Yeah, I’ll be back before you even get a chance to miss me. You and your brother can play in the playroom and daddy can maybe write a little more. Then, when I come home, maybe we can convince grandpa to stay for a movie. How’s that sound?” El proposed, trying her best to soothe her unsettled daughter.

The little girl then wiggled out of her father’s hold, bouncing up and down with her younger brother at the idea of watching a movie with Hop.

“How about you two go sit back down, dad and I will be right over with more breakfast in just a few seconds,” the children were already sprinting back to their seats before El could even finish what she was saying.

Saturday’s in the Wheeler’s home were usually like a family event. The party of four would spend the entirety of their day together playing games and rewatching the kid’s favorite movies. Eleven couldn’t help but feel as if she was letting down the ones she loved most by missing out on a piece of their special day. 

“Babe, it’s going to be fine,” Mike chimed in, having noticed the worried look upon her porcelain face. 

El’s golden brown eyes flickered to his, “are you sure? I could tell Hop I can’t go and stay here instead. I know you want to write more today and I could watch over them. I just want to make sure I’m being a good mothe—“

Her habitual concerns were cut off by her husband boldly planting his lips to her’s. She could feel his mouth open smoothly, gently swiping his tongue along her bottom lip. She was giving into the moment when Mike pulled back suddenly, almost as if he had just caught himself doing something that would get him into trouble.

He laid his forehead against her’s, speaking in a hushed tone, “you are the best mother ever, I promise. The kids and I will be fine for a few hours,” he paused, laughing as he said, “besides, Hop is going to need your help picking out a gift for Joyce. He’s hopeless.”

“God, I love you. Thank you,” she gushed, leaning in to kiss him once more, “maybe I’ll even get you a little present for being the best husband ever.”

Mike squeezed her waist, his deep brown eyes sporting a look of pure adoration, “I’ve got all I could ever ask for right here.”

Then, before their children could get too antsy, the couple moved on to serving up breakfast. The family ate in peace, embracing a joyful morning together. 

Little did the shiny happy people know that a fiery storm was brewing. And it would be something Mike would have to face all on his own.

———————————————————————

Eleven had left the house a few hours ago to help Hopper. Since then, Mike and his children had already finished embarking on a short Dungeons & Dragons quest. 

Now, Willow and Ben had moved on to losing themselves in an intense game of ‘Uno’ while their father worked on his novel. 

Mike was currently writing about the Mind Flayer and it’s ability to destroy every single aspect of human life. He could feel chills radiate from his spine as the memories brought horrendous traumas back to life. It was becoming too much for him to recall, so he decided to take a step back and breathe.

He was just moving to check on his children when he suddenly heard a series of malicious noises. There were crashes and yelps mingled with unintelligible words he could not make out.

For the first time in his life, Mike’s long legs were put to good use. He managed to not trip or fall over his own two feet on his way to the playroom, successfully leading him to the disaster zone in a timely manner.

The room he had arrived in appeared like it had been through the apocalypse. It was usually neatly organized, but it was now in complete disarray. And right there in the middle of it all stood Benjamin, whose nose appeared to have bled a substantial amount. Mike’s paternal instincts were just taking over when his daughter instantaneously reappeared in the room.

“I win!” Willow yelled.

Ben eased a few legos into the air, “no! I won!” he shouted as he launched scattered toys in his sister’s direction.

Then, just as she had done seconds ago, Willow disappeared in thin air. The two were so caught up bickering back and forth between whose powers were stronger that they had no idea their father was aware of the situation unfolding.

As soon as the six year old girl popped back into the atmosphere, Mike’s voice boomed in a disapproving tone, “what is going on here!?”

The toys that Benny’s mind has lifted came crashing down to the floor. Willow, who had herself suspended in the air, gently set herself back down on earth. 

“Well? I’m waiting for an answer here,” the man before them spoke, his foot beginning to tap in angry disbelief.

Ben pointed at the puppy eyed girl, “she started it! She said she would be the most powerful x-men instead of me!”

Willow reflected a mirror image of her father’s younger self as her honey brown eyes rolled in annoyance, “I was just informing him of the truth. I am the most powerful x-men. Not him.”

“No way! I can move toys without touching them,” the three year old huffed. 

Then, as if it were the most natural reaction, Mike’s eldest child drifted into the air and then disappeared from sight. She popped back up behind her brother as she clarified, “but I can go where I want whenever I want. And I can levitate.”

Mike’s disappointment boiled up then, having had enough of this dangerously stupid argument, “stop it! What did mom and I say about following the rules?”

The two children looked at each other in shame prior to facing their father. They mumbled incoherent responses, not wanting to admit that what they had just done was completely unacceptable.

“I’m not going to ask again. What did your mother and I say are the rules?”

“Only to use our powers when mommy and daddy say it’s okay to,” Ben said quietly.

“Only to use our powers without mommy and daddy if we are in danger,” Willow spoke more clearly, almost as if she understood that she should have known better.

Mike intimidatingly rose his eyebrow, “what’s the last one?”

“Don’t be stupid,” the siblings mumbled, ashamed of their actions.

The room then coated itself in silence as Mike’s disappointment contaminated the atmosphere. He couldn’t stop himself from continuing further, “you two know better then to go against those rules. If your mother had done this when she was either of your ages, she would have been very unsafe. The rules are in place to make sure you two—“

“Stay safe” El spoke from the doorway, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

Eleven had been stealthily standing in the hallway outside of the playroom beginning around the time that her children were explaining what they had argued about. She didn’t want to interrupt earlier as her husband was doing a good job confronting their gremlins on his own.

“Jesus, this room is a goddamn mess. Looks like the cabin after one of Ellie’s hissy fits,” Hop mumbled from behind her, quickly earning himself two disapproving looks.

“You two know better than to do this, so don’t let it happen again. Are we clear?” Mike berated.

His kids meekly nodded, looking unsure of what they were agreeing to.

“I said, do I make myself clear?” Mike questioned with finality.

“Yes,” they both said, confirming that they were not going to break the precious set of rules again.

Then, as if they were two interconnected peas in a pod, the kids both broke out in hysterics. Their tears soon mingled with the blood that had oozed down their noses just moments ago. Long story short, everything was a complete mess.

“I’m sorry, Benny. You can be the most powerful x-men,” Willow cried, bringing her little brother into a close embrace.

Ben wiped his stained face into his sister’s shoulder, “no, you are.”

During the sweetly shared moment, Hopper crept in closer and wrapped his arms around Mike and El’s shoulders, “can you believe parenthood can be great, yet so awful?”

El batted her father back as Mike shook his head in disbelief, “is this what El was like in the cabin?”

“No, El was worse,” Hop chuckled as Mike’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

Hopper then stepped all the way into the room, swiftly picking up his grandchildren and spinning them in a circle, “little super-powered monsters! How would you two like it if I helped you guys clean up this mess?”

El was leaned contently against the doorframe, watching her children happily make amends with the mistake they made, when she was abruptly pulled out of the room. Mike gently pinned her to the wall in the hallway as he welcomed her home with a quick kiss.

Eleven recognized the weary look on her husband’s face as soon as their kiss had ended. She daintily cupped his cheek, a subtle way of demanding his attention, “what’s wrong, baby?”

Mike shrugged, “I just.. did I handle that well? I could have stopped it before if I hadn’t been writing. Or I could have addressed it better. Just... I don’t want to be useless like my father was.”

Mike’s naturally expressive eyes began to sparkle as his tears built up rapidly. His cries were already being released before El could even provide him with loving assurance.

“Come here,” she muttered, pulling his head forward until it was rested in the safety of her bosom. She threaded her fingers soothingly through his hair as she serenely spoke, “you are nothing like your father. You’re so good and attentive with the kids. You always take interest in what they like and make sure to engage with them each day. I know they love you and look up to you because you’re an amazing father. I promise.”

He attempted to protest, but was silenced by El placing her hand over his mouth. She smiled at him, “siblings are idiots, Mike. You and Nancy used to argue just as Will and I did. It only seems different because our idiots have the ability to make arguments a bit more chaotic. It’s normal and implies nothing about your parenting.”

Her final words seemed to have a healing spell over Mike’s somber attitude. His worries faded as he allowed himself to melt into her hold. 

“I love you and our idiot weirdo kids. I wouldn’t change a thing about any one of us,” he goofily claimed as he pressed himself further against her body.

They were captivated by one another’s lustrous energies, allowing that gravitational pull to grace their lips with passionate fireworks. It was nice while it lasted, because a few seconds later, a presence decided to ruin the moment.

The married couple glanced down the hall to where Hopper, who had just cleared his throat, was stood with each their children strapped to his legs.

“Grandpa said he would take us for ice cream because we cleaned up so nicely!” Willow squealed excitedly.

“Can we go? Can we go, please?” Ben pleaded.

El and Mike exchanged smirks, taking in the fact that their children were so much like them, simply infused into much smaller forms. 

“You can both go,” Mike stated, causing his kids to break out into happy cheers.

“Under one condition,” El said authoritatively, a look a severe power overcoming her face, “you have to bring me back a waffle sundae.”

Willow unlatched herself from Hop, bustling over to hug her mom, “I promise.”

As the mother and daughter held on tightly to one another, Benny began slowly approaching his father. He held something in his tiny hands, holding onto it shyly before presenting it to his dad.

“I made this after we cleaned up,” the boy shrugged, “Willie wrote the words though.”

Mike looked over the paper that was placed delicately in his hands and felt himself become overwhelmed by what he saw. 

His son had drawn a photo of him wearing a shirt that appeared to say, ‘#1 Dad,’ on it. Then, right at the bottom, were the words his daughter spelled out perfectly.

‘World’s most powerful X-Men’

“It’s okay if you don’t like it,” Benny mumbled, looking down at his feet.

Without hesitation, Mike scooped up his son, “I love it. I’m going to frame it so I can always remember that my two favorite x-men think I’m a pretty okay dad.”

Willow’s hand suddenly interlaced with her father’s much larger one, “we’re sorry, dad. We won’t do that again. We love you.”

Shortly after the family concluded their sentimental moment, the kids were off to get ice cream with their grandfather. On their way out, Hopper poked his head back in the doorway, “try not to make another telekinetic mess while we’re gone, Ellie.”

The adults all shared a laugh at El’s expense before Hop saw himself out. Once their front door was hinged shut, exhaustion settled upon the pair.

The original telekinetic queen sighed in relief as she plopped herself into their unmade bed, “I’m tired. Between my dad and our kids.. I’m ready to unwind.”

Mike crawled into bed beside her, rolling himself over until he was hovering above her small frame, “do you want to take a nap?”

Eleven opened her eyes, a mischievous glint present as she pulled her husband closer, “we can do more than just nap,” her lips pressed against the hollow of his ear as she breathily whispered, “we can cuddle.”

Mike’s face was flushed bright red as a side effect of being swept up in his wife’s teasing. He allowed himself to crack a grin, leaning down and pecking her forehead before settling into her side.

“Cuddling with the world’s most beautiful x-men sounds like the best thing I could ever do,” he spoke into her shoulder blade.

El hummed, “loving you is the best thing I could ever do.”

Not even a minute later, the couple found themselves lost in a much need slumber. Even as they slept, Mike and El remained wholeheartedly in sync. Their chests continued to rise and fall with every breathe as if it was the most natural arrangement.

Perhaps the most worthy lesson learned from the Wheeler family’s experience that day was; all parents, even the ones that were deemed the most powerful, benefited greatly from a nap beside their soulmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve become so lazy with editing, but I hope you all enjoyed this! I promise I’ll work hard on getting better.   
> Sending you all lots of warmth during this cold winter!


	21. Thirty, flirty, and thriving (2001)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s El’s thirtieth birthday, so Mike diligently recruits a team to occupy their children. Otherwise known as, the party babysits the kiddos for a night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lovely reader of mine, Danny, had kindly requested I write more about Willow and Ben interacting with the party. I kind of struggled on this one, but Danny, I really hope this turned out okay for you! Enjoy!

El awoke the morning of her thirtieth birthday with a sly grin plastered on her face. She could feel her signature dimples popping out on her cheeks before she even opened her eyes. Once some energy had reentered her body, she slowly attempted sliding herself out of bed, but didn’t manage to get too far before a firm grip locked around her waist.

Mike’s lips ghosted against the back of her neck as his sleep coated voice murmured, “where are you going?”

“To the bathroom and then I’m going to wake up the kids,” she answered as she tried exiting bed once again, only to quickly find herself being dragged back towards her husband’s bare chest.

“No, stay here with me,” he pouted, burrowing his face into his wife’s neck.

El rolled her eyes as she dropped a kiss to the top of his head, “I genuinely have to go to the bathroom.. so, can I do that?”

Mike whined, “fine, but don’t take too long. It’s only right that we spend the morning of your birthday cuddling until the kids wake up on their own.”

On that note, Eleven rushed up to complete her business. In less than two minutes, she found herself back beneath her flannel sheets as she received a smattering of gentle kisses. She had gotten so lost in the euphoric moment that the sound of her own groan startled her.

Mike couldn’t help but chuckle at how adorable El was, “what? Are you scared we’re going to get caught canoodling?” 

“Yes! I don’t want the kids coming in here and seeing their parents all over each other,” she finished her rant with a subtle nudge to his chest.

“I get it,” he complied, pressing his forehead to her’s so he could get a better view of her honey colored eyes, “I hope you don’t mind, but I kind of set something up so we could spent the night together. I have the party coming to keep an eye on the kids so we can celebrate your birthday together. Plus, Lucas and Max offered to stay overnight so we could spend the night elsewhere. Just us.”

El was honestly so surprised by her husband’s plans that she couldn’t immediately respond. Hearing the idea of spending the night with Mike was exactly what she had been craving, but before she could express her excitement, it had seemed he overthought her silence negatively.

“God, I’m so stupid. I’m sorry, I should’ve known you would have wanted to see everyone and the kids for your birthday. I’m really sorry, let me go make some calls and cancel everything,” Mike rambled unmercifully as he almost launched himself out of bed to reach the nearby telephone.

However, his motions were cut off when El suddenly wrapped her legs around his torso. She straddled herself tightly on top of him, making sure that he wouldn’t budge any farther.

Eleven ran her hands through his unruly raven locks and pressed her lips to his own as she assured him, “I love you so much. I’ve been dying to spend some time just the two of us for awhile. This is the best gift you could’ve ever given me. Thank you, baby.”

“I would do anything to make sure your birthday is special,” he smiled up at her before dragging her down so that their bodies were flattened against one another’s, “lets stay here for awhile longer.”

The couple had just closed their eyes when a weight dropped down along side of them. The two of them looked over at the disturbance, expecting to see their children there, but were met by a much larger surprise.

“Dad!?” Eleven horrifically shrieked.

“Happy birthday, Ellie! I let myself in so I could drop you off some breakfast from your favorite diner,” Hop clarified as he brought his daughter in for a hug, “God, thirty years old. Feels like just yesterday I had found a filthy kid in the woods. You’re getting old, kid.”

Hop then stood up and ruffled Mike’s mop of hair, “you’re old too, Wheeler. Still kind of offended you didn’t ask me to babysit the munchkins today, but Joyce and I are always around, so if any of the idiots need help with them, tell them to give me a call.”

“It wasn’t anything personal,” Mike swatted at his father in law’s hand, “they just wanted to see the kids. Plus, I think Lucas and Max kind of want to do a trial run to see if they’re ready for kids.”

Hop huffed and was preparing to respond when another person spoke up from the doorway, appearing to have invited himself into the home, as he ate some of the breakfast Hopper had brought, “happy birthday, El! Got here two hours earlier than asked to see if you needed help packing for your getaway, and it seems I came at the perfect time because there’s breakfast!”

“Oh my god, Dustin,” Mike muttered as El laughed airily.

“Today’s just filled with surprises. Thanks, but if you’ll all excuse me, I would like to eat my waffles before Dustin or the kids do,” she announced before disappearing out of sight.

Dustin then clattered into the bed beside the lanky man, kicking off his shoes as he asked, “is baby Wheeler number three going to be established tonight?”

Mike slapped Dustin’s shoulder as Hopper muttered some expletives. The men all shared a look then, taking in the fact that breakfast really would be gone if they left Eleven out there alone much longer. And with that realization, they collectively took off down the hall at the fastest pace possible.  
———————————————————————-  
Several hours had passed and the entire party had now arrived. Gifts had already been exchanged and games were now being played. Mike was in the process of loading up the car as El took in the sights around her.

Lucas was sitting up properly as his goddaughter applied a thick coating of neon blue eyeshadow across his skin. Will, who was sporting makeup by Willow as well, was standing right beside the pair taking photos.

On the other side of the room, Dustin was busy instructing Max and Benjamin with their next moves in a game of twister. 

El’s eyes watered at the view she took in. Her homemade family all enjoying a bright day felt like one of the truest gifts she could have ever received. 

She was ripped from her emotions as Mike came up behind her, “car’s all ready!”

He seemed to have found something unsettling upon El’s face as he cupped her porcelain cheeks and spoke lowly, “hey, hey, what’s wrong love?”

“Nothing at all,” a tear sprung free as she shook her head, “I’m just really happy to have this amazing family.”

Mike looked her over once more, “we don’t have to go. We can stay if it’s what you want.”

Eleven pecked her husband’s lips and smiled at him brightly, “I want to be with you for tonight. Just you and me.”

Then, before their moment could linger onward, a tiny form came close and clung onto El’s soft hip. Willow stood there, grinning up at her mom, “we’ll be okay, mommy. I’ll make sure everyone stays in line, promise.”

“Yeah! We’ll keep these boys in check!” boosted Max from her contorted position, as she was still playing a silly game with her godson.

However, it seemed as though Benny became too distracted, as he stepped away from playing and bounded over into his mother’s loving embrace.

“Happy birfday, mama. Love you,” he mumbled against her chest.

Mike then gathered his wife and their children into his arms, softly instructing his kids to behave decently for their aunts and uncles. It was a quiet moment, one that the party did not wish to disturb. 

Just like his older brother would have, Will was quick to snap a photo of the loving scene the party had been witnessing unfold between the Wheeler family.

A minute later, the mother and father found themselves looking back from their spot at the front door. They both looked hesitant, but were overpowered by the excitement coursing through their veins to get on with their evening.

Hoping to provide them with comfort and assurance, Will called out from his spot where he sat with Willow, “everything is under control, love birds! Get out of here and enjoy your night!”

“Yeah! Kiss each other night for me!” Dustin laughed as Ben spoke a low, ‘yuck’, in response to what his uncle had just said. 

It was on that note that the two saw themselves out. They had both just settled into the car and buckled in when Mike finally drank in the sight of his wife. 

El had on a form fitting black dress that hugged every inch of her so delicately that it made her husband’s heart swoon unevenly. The back of her attire was nearly missing, leaving her toned skin graciously exposed. The mere presence of her stunning appearance was causing Mike to feel overwhelmed.

He gulped lamely when he felt her dainty hand rest on his knee, “so we are doing dinner and then a show?”

“A show?” his question was laced with confusion.

El cheekily grinned as she subtly squeezed his thigh, “yeah, a show. I thought the plan was dinner and heading over to a hotel room?”

“Y-yeah. That’s the plan,” he blushed, completely flustered by her forwardness, “god, El, you’re so beautiful. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you.”

His slightly clammy hand was then interlaced with her own as she leaned over, her voice causing his skin to vibrate, “I love you. Now let’s go so we can start enjoying this night!”

Mike’s foot had never found the gas pedal quicker.   
———————————————————————-  
As it turns out, Willow and Benjamin were having the time of their lives. Usually, they would have already been missing their mother and father, but their aunts and uncles seemed to be doing an amazing job of distracting them.

Between the many slices of pizza they consumed and the loads of games they had played, the two kids were successfully spent. Apparently, they weren’t the only ones that were tired though, as Will and Dustin were cuddled up asleep on the couch.

“Will is going to cringe when he wakes up,” Max chuckled as she snapped a photo on the boy’s camera.

Lucas, who was rocking a half asleep Ben in his arms, answered quietly, “I’m going to need a copy of that picture for future blackmail.”

Willow, who was busy braiding her aunt’s fiery long hair, abruptly asked the couple a rather random question. 

“When will I have cousins?”

“Uh, someday. Someday soon, we think,” her aunt answered, sounding halfway sure.

“When is soon?” the six year old pried further.

“Soon is.. it’s soon. It will be soon,” Lucas chimed in confidently as he smiled over at the girls.

Willow giggled lightly, “good. You guys would be really good to my cousin.”

Ben stirred in Lucas’s arms, blinking up at his uncle before poking his cheek with one of his tiny fingers, “can you take me on the airplane again?”

Max felt tears well in her eyes as she watched her husband spin a joyful Benny around. She knew Lucas would be an amazing father, but she couldn’t stop herself from feeling like she wouldn’t be able to achieve being as great of a mother as El is to her kids.

Max’s self deprecating thoughts were rattled short when Willow suddenly sat herself in front of her. The little girl brought her aunt into a hug and said, “you’re going to be a good mama to my cousin, just like mama is to me.” 

A few moments later, the couple and their godchildren silently traveled away from the sleeping figures of Dustin and Will. They all piled into Mike and El’s large bed, scattering snacks around the area as they sorted themselves in for a showing of the Princess Diaries.

The two kids had drifted off to sleep not even halfway through the film. Lucas, who took note of his wife’s fluttering eyelids, leaned himself over the snoring children to softly leave her with a kiss. Max looked up at him, smiling softly as she pulled Willow towards her closely. 

The married couple fell asleep that evening with their hands clasped, passing the message that they would soon start a family of their own.  
———————————————————————-  
Mike and El headed home fairly early the next morning in hopes of avoiding a walk of shame.

Mike had planned on wearing his dress clothes from the evening before back home, however, his plan was abruptly unraveled when his wife took the liberty of literally ripping it off of his form just a few hours ago. Now, the tall man was stuck wearing his khaki pants with a worn out Star Wars t-shirt. To make matters more obvious, his hair looked as though it had been grasped and threaded tightly between one’s curious fingers. 

El, on the other hand, had an absolutely noticeable glow upon her skin. Her face appeared permanently flushed and she had deep purple bites along the hallow skin of her neck.

Overall, the couple appeared undoubtedly ravished. They merely hoped that they would be arriving home early enough that their friends and children would still be asleep.

As they walked up to their front door, Mike turned to his wife with a bright grin that he seemingly could not wipe off of his face, “ready to face these goons?”

El squeezed his hand, “we’ll give them each a minute of teasing.”

Hand in hand, the couple reentered their home. They had been fully prepared to receive loads of humorous backlash, but were surprised to find complete and utter silence.

They looked at each other in confusion, obviously wondering how they could have gotten so lucky. Then, after taking a few further steps into their living room, the pair quickly found Will and Dustin huddled up closely.

Mike and Eleven had to bite back the fit of laughter that had crawled up their throats, propelling themselves to move away fast in order to get to their bedroom safely. 

However, when they finally reached their tranquil room, they found a heartwarming scene before them. Still laid upon their bed were Max and Lucas. The two of them seemed to have formed protective walls around Benjamin and Willow, who were still slumbering safety between the surrounding adult figures.

Mike lowered his head, pecking beneath El’s ear as he whispered, “our little rascals are going to have a new friend to play with soon. I give it five months before they announce their pregnancy.”

“I think you are exactly right. They’re both such naturals,” she retorted, confirming her husband’s prior statement.

“This was the perfect arrangement for our night away. Thank you again for my amazing birthday gift and thank you for making sure our kids were safe,” she gushed.

Mike grinned, “you’re welcome, baby. We should take more nights away. Just the two of us.”

El reached up on her tippy toes, dragging her lips against his as she murmured, “just the two of us. Promise.”

Their bodies were just melting against one another’s when Dustin suddenly spoke up from between them.

“Glad to see you guys are home. I had a great night of sleep. Will’s like a furnace. I’m going to get started on making breakfast—“ then, Dustin ruined the last remaining ounce of peace, as he shouted, “holy hell! Mike, what did you do to El’s neck!?”

Mike and El’s eyes widened like deer caught in a tractor trailer’s headlights, when a small voice spoke worriedly, “What’s wrong with mommy’s neck?”

Willow’s own set of concerns came after Benny’s as she sat up, “are you okay, mama?”

Now that the couple had a full audience scrutinizing them, the pressure to respond properly felt overwhelming. Mike was just starting to answer when Lucas stepped in, “your mom’s fine! Everyone is perfectly okay. Hey, how about we all go help uncle Dustin make waffles while your parents unpack?”

It seemed as though his distraction worked wonders as the two kids raced down the hall and out of sight.

Mike shot Dustin a dangerous glare as the man in scrutiny raised his hands high in surrender, “my bad,” he couldn’t stop himself from continuing, “but I guess I was right. Baby Wheeler number three will be here in about nine months.”

El raised her hand up to deliver a harsh smack upon the man’s shoulder, but it was then that Dustin’s senses finally picked up on the impending danger, which sent his body down the hall in a full fledged sprint to save himself.

Max had a neutral smile on her face as she approached El, “have a nice night?”

“Mmm.. it was nice. Got a few gifts,” she answered mischievously.

The red headed woman cocked an eyebrow, “a few? Wow, glad Wheeler treated you right. It’s exactly what you deserve for you thirtieth.”

The two girls giggled like school girls in the corner for a few seconds before Eleven brought her best friend into a tight hug, “I can already tell you did amazing with the kids. You’re going to be the best mom, I just know it.”

Max played with the ends of her braided hair, eyes feeling teary once more, “promise?”

“She promises. You’re both going to make great parents,” Mike, who had a hand tightly clasped on Lucas’s shoulder, confirmed.

The two sets of couples spent a few more minutes talking about the life of parenting before Max and Lucas saw themselves out. 

El had just changed out of her clothes when she suddenly felt a familiar grasp come up behind her. Mike’s fingers softly probed into the exposed skin of her ribcage as he whispered, “you’re the best wife and mother, you know that?”

“Hmm.. but I couldn’t be the best wife and mother if you weren’t the best husband and father. So I guess we’re simply the best,” she responded as she turned herself around, lightly kissing his chest.

The two hugged, finding the joy of living in the softness of their touch for a bit longer.

“We have the best family,” Mike confessed.

“That we do, love,” El sincerely spoke, drinking in the image of her perfect life, “thirty is off to a great start.”

That year, all while El was the age of thirty, many milestones occurred.

Not even a week after El’s birthday, Max and Lucas discovered they were expecting. She was already a few weeks along, so just seven months later, the couple welcomed the birth of their first daughter. Alice Elizabeth Sinclair.

Luckily for Max, her first pregnancy was endured by El’s side, who was expecting her and Mike’s third child.

Dustin would never let go of the fact that he had called it, as it seemed the nine month timeline led right back to the night of Eleven’s thirtieth birthday.

It was three months before El’s thirty first birthday and only a week before Mike’s when their third child decided to join the world.

River Grace Wheeler was the best gift to come of El’s thirtieth birthday. 

River was born beneath a firm foundation that consisted of two loving parents and two incredible siblings; plus, she also had a best friend that was just two months older than her. 

Almost as if history was repeating itself, the longterm childhood friendship that Mike and Lucas had was blooming just the same for River and Alice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This somehow kind of turned into a special dash of Max and Lucas content, but I hope you all enjoyed! Wishing you all the very best as always <3


	22. The Official Promise (1993)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of a Mileven wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a late Valentine’s day treat. Dedicated to one of my dear friend’s, Jodie, who always inspires me to write. Enjoy!

It was finally the day Mike had been looking forward to since he clumsily stumbled into love with a girl he discovered in 1983. He’s known since he was thirteen that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with El by his side.

He had expected to feel elated with such an enormous amount of joy on their wedding day; and he definitely did, but he also felt fear burning within his veins. The anxiety he felt wasn’t at all due to second doubts because life without her was unimaginable for him.

The fear only existed because he wasn’t sure if he was good enough for her. What if this commitment to him wasn’t what she wanted? Had he forced her into feeling like she owed him these exchange of vows?

Mike’s poor habit of overthinking was beginning to make him feel overbearingly nauseous. He could feel the acid in his stomach boiling upward and felt tears that were fueled by self hatred brimming along his eyelids.

Just as he thought he was going to faint, a firm grasp captured both of his shoulders, “you okay, kid?”

The fact that his almost father in law was dressed in a formal tuxedo briefly distracted Mike. Yet, what distracted him even more was the man’s set of glassy eyes.

“Have you been crying?” 

Hop wiped at his cheeks as a smile took over his face, “El looks so beautiful,” tears began gathering in his eyes once again, “I can’t even think about it without crying.”

Mike pulled himself away from the darkness that was swirling within him as a cheeky smirk spread across his face, “you’re such a softie.”

Hopper’s face turned stoic, “kid, you’re going to cry just as much as I did. Actually, you’ll probably cry more. So maybe hold off on teasing me until you see for yourself, okay?”

The husband-to-be rolled his eyes, wanting to make another witty remark, but found himself being cut off by Hop’s voice, “now, care to explain why you looked like you were a minute away from simultaneously throwing up and passing out?”

It was then that Mike recalled what unsettled him just a moment ago. His eyes downcast away, suddenly pretending as if he was interested in his shoes as he muttered, “nothing, just nervous I guess.”

“Bullshit,” Hop snorted before turning rather serious, “I know there’s not a single ounce of nervousness in that lanky body of your’s, so spit it out Wheeler.”

His throat tightened as the truth came barreling out, “I’m not good enough for El. Everyone else probably already knows that and I’m worried one day she’ll realize that she deserves more.”

His honest worry was now laid out on the table. He expected to feel relief, but only felt more upset when Hopper began to dryly laugh.

“I’m sorry kid, but that is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say. We have been over this before. You and El are soulmates. And believe me, I’m not lying,” Hop paused, throwing his arm securely around Mike’s shoulders as he reinforced, “if I ever thought for a second that you weren’t deserving of my daughter, I would’ve eliminated you years ago. I know you love my little girl, but it’s time you start loving yourself just as much.”

Mike let out a watery laugh as he felt the overwhelming sense of assurance wash away his remaining negativity.

“Thank you, dad,” Mike playfully said, earning him a light smack to the back of his head.

The two men shared a hearty laugh, allowing the happiness that this day brought to intoxicate their bodies. Their laughter stretched on for a few moments until an abrupt knock silenced them. 

Neither said a word until a voice piped up from behind the wooden locked door, “Mike!”

At the sound of that angelic voice calling out his name, Mike was up and against the doorframe in less than a second, “El! What’s wrong?”

He could hear her sigh a breath of relief as she murmured, “I had this feeling that something was going on with you and I got worried. Nancy and Max were trying to tell me I wasn’t allowed over here, but I needed to make sure you were alright. Are you okay, baby?”

A lovestruck grin consumed Mike’s face as he laid his palm against the door, “I couldn’t be better, babe. God, I want to marry you right now.”

“Well, the good news is you only have to wait another ten minutes for that to happen,” she giggled.

He was just about to respond when a voice from the hall shouted, “El! I was just coming to see where you were, but oh wow.. you look,” Lucas’s deep voice broke into a high pitched cry, “wow! I mean, wow!”

Mike huffed, frustrated that everyone else seemed to have already been granted sight of his angel, “that’s it, I’m breaking tradition,” he unlocked the door, managing to open it just a centimeter before Hop’s fist shut it.

“Nope, that’s a firm no. Ellie, head back to your side of the house. Ceremony starts in less than ten minutes, so I’ll meet you out there before we walk down the isle,” Hop finished his instructions as he held back the scrawny man in front of him.

El sighed, “okay. See you soon, Mike.”

“I can’t wait to see you” Mike uttered to his fiancée, hoping she heard him.

A musical laugh echoed from the end of the hall, followed by her clarifying, “I’ll be the one in white!”

The two men shared a smile, both surrendering as hopeless when it came to Eleven. Just a second later, Mike’s three best men came bursting into the room. 

Dustin, who was sporting fresh tears on his cheeks, looked at Mike, “you’re completely screwed, dude.”

Hopper laughed at the boy’s words, knowing that they were the truth. He turned to leave the room, wanting to let the guys have a few more minutes before the ceremony started, when he suddenly felt himself being embraced.

Mike hugged Hop, speaking low enough so that his words went undetected by the others, “thank you. I’m happy we’ll officially be family.”

Hop clapped his back, feeling himself get emotional once more as he confirmed, “you were already apart of my family. See you out there.”

The next few minutes flew by as everyone got swept into their places. Mike was stood at the alter, his cheeks already aching as he couldn’t seem to erase the smile from his face. Well, at least until she took a step into his line of sight. 

Hopper was absolutely correct. Tears cascaded effortlessly down Mike’s freckled skin as he soaked in her beauty. His jaw came unhinged, his mouth practically gaping open until a sob threatened to vocally release itself from his throat.

His tears never ceased, in fact, they only picked up more when Hop; who was also openly crying, placed El’s warm hand into Mike’s. 

She was now standing in front of him and he had to channel every single inch of willpower within him to stop himself from kissing her senseless before they even recited their vows.

El had a tear drip from her chin, her lips wobbling slightly as she whispered, “pretty?”

Mike squeezed her hands firmly, his vision blurring as he spoke, “yeah, really pretty.”

The two then turned their attention over to the officiator who was directing them on what words to say. 

Their handwritten vows were exchanged next, which only brought more cries into the room as the power of their love infected everyone that was present.

Mike and El were so hopelessly caught up in glancing over each other that they almost missed the instructions they had both been looking forward to.

“It is my honor to introduce Michael and El Wheeler. You may now kiss the bride.”

Their first kiss as a married couple was untamed. It started slowly, but quickly progressed when Mike felt a familiar tongue tantalizingly trace along his bottom lip. Not caring that they were in front of their friends and family, the kiss soon burned deeper as their teeth subtly clashed. They were so lost in the moment that all of the applause and whistles around them had fallen deafly upon their ears.

The two eventually detached their lips, leaving their foreheads pressed against one another’s. They took a moment to allow themselves to catch their breath before darting down the isle hand in hand.

The newly weds still had a long night ahead of them as the reception was arranged to start quickly after. As excited as they were to continue celebrating onward, deep down, both were looking most forward to the alone time they had scheduled to take place right after.  
———————————————————————  
Keeping up with silly traditions, Mike refused to let El walk into their apartment with the use of her own two feet.

He had her in his arms bridal style the entire way up to their home, which wasn’t easy, as it was located on the building’s third floor.

“Mike! Let me go!” she squealed.

He shook his shaggy hair goofily, “nope, I’ll never let you go. And just so you know, as soon as we get to Paris tomorrow, I’m carrying you through the entryway of our hotel room.”

“You’re an idiot, Michael Wheeler.”

He retorted sincerely, “and you’re my beautiful wife, El Wheeler,” before nudging the front door open with his foot.

El immediately released a gasp as she took in the surprising sight before her. Their apartment was covered in dozens of flower arrangements and there was a candle lit glow coming from their bedroom.

She held a hand over her heart, “you did all of this?”

“Just the flowers. I had Will come by here when he left the reception to set up the candles. I know it’s cheesy, but I wanted it to be at least a little special,” he explained his romantic reasoning.

Eleven responded by pecking his cheek, “I love it and I love you,” she then grazed her lips upon his earlobe, feeling as his body shuddered, “take me to the bedroom.”

Mike had never moved down the hallway as quickly as he did that evening.  
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —  
The two woke up the next morning with lazy smiles plastered upon their faces as the memories from the day before came flashing into their minds. Throughout the night, the newly weds seemingly could not keep each other’s hands to themselves.

Taking a look around the bedroom, they noticed the mess they had left behind. El’s lace dress was bunched up on the floor in the same spot it had fallen off of her frame and right beside the classy garment were the pieces of Mike’s tuxedo. 

Eleven brought them both back to the present as she kissed along Mike’s bare chest, “good morning, husband.”

“Good morning, wife,” he replied while threading his fingers through her hair, bringing her in close enough so he could greet her with a kiss.

She murmured against his lips, “say that again.”

Mike couldn’t contain how happy he was as he practically exclaimed, “good morning, my beautiful wife.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips upon her exposed shoulders as he allowed his fingers to drift down the lengthy skin of her back. He traced along her spine, loving the content sounds she made in response to his touch.

A few heartbeats later, Mike groaned, “we have to get up and get ready so that we don’t miss our flight.”

El hummed, tapping her fingers against his ribcage before mischievously smiling up at him, “hmm.. I believe we have enough time to get our first shower as a married couple. It’s a tradition that must not be broken.”

Mike playfully furrowed his brows, “I don’t think that’s a real tradition, but it still sounds like a fantastic idea.”

The couple shared a second of sweltering eye contact before they found themselves chasing one another down the length of their hall.

An hour and many moans later, Hopper arrived to take the newly weds over to the airport.

Right as Mike buckled himself in, he heard Hop chuckle, “told you, you were going to cry when you saw her yesterday.”

Mike scowled, “we all knew I was going to cry, so whatever.”

“Oh, both of you stop it. Let’s get this show on the road!” El cheered, gently slapping her father on the shoulder to indicate that he could start driving.

Hop huffed, squinting in his rear view mirror at the sight of them in the backseat, “before we go, I just wanted to let you both know that you did a horrible job of covering up your necks,” he grumbled beneath his breath, “disgusting.”

El and Mike simply laughed at the man in the driver seat, choosing to ignore his remarks. They were about halfway to the airport when Eleven felt a kiss upon her cheek. She turned to look at the boy she had fallen in love with many years ago and felt her heart thump proudly within her chest.

“My wife,” he spoke softly before leaning his head on her shoulder.

El pecked the top of his head and smoothly spoke into his raven curls, “my husband.”

She rested her head on top of Mike’s and thought about all that they had been through in the past decade.

Although the girl that was raised in a laboratory has been living life happily for years since then; her puzzle of freedom finally felt complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed the lovely holiday and this little oneshot!   
> Sending lots of warmth to all <3


	23. We All Have a Hunger (1993)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike stumbles across a small notebook in his fiancée’s dresser and can’t stop his curious eyes from wandering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: this particular one-shot discusses the topic of dieting. If you are uncomfortable with this topic/feel it could be stress-inducing, please do not feel forced to continue reading.
> 
> With that being said, a lovely reader of mine requested that I write about El attempting to diet and Mike becoming mildly panicked by what that may entail.

At just twenty one years old, Mike Wheeler had taken the liberty of crowning himself the king of doing laundry. He went phenomenally against the standard stereotypes and found the process of washing, drying, and folding to be quite soothing. 

On the other hand, El couldn’t stand doing the minuscule chore. Her reasoning for being so opposed to it was simple; there were too many rules to abide by when it came to doing laundry, which is exactly why she chose not to engage with it. 

One day while his fiancée was out running errands, Mike had chosen to stay in so he could catch up on the piles of dirty clothes they had accumulated over the past week. In fact, he had decided to make an event out of the task at hand by putting on his favorite David Bowie record and enjoying a glass of dark red wine.

He had already completed the first delicate load and was now busy putting those items away. He opened up El’s side of the dresser and smiled at the sight before him. His girl always had cold feet and it seemed as though she had accumulated an obscene amount of thick socks over the past several years in efforts to keep her warm. 

Mike was nearly finished putting the last few pairs of socks and undergarments away when he suddenly took notice of a small notepad that had been stuffed secretively behind Eleven’s lace section. He knew he shouldn’t look further at what it was, especially because he trusted her with his entire life; but pure curiosity got the best of him.

He wasted no time before hastily sneaking his itchy fingers into the far back corner of the drawer. A moment later, he was reigned victorious after snatching the pair of panties that had been hiding the suspicious item. His subconscious was scolding him, begging him to respect her privacy; but the forefront of his mind was far too intrigued to know more.

The pages came unfolded easily, almost like it was daring him to read. His guilty eyes scurried along, drinking in the words that had been written in her looped handwriting.

His eyebrows furrowed after a pattern started to form. The pages had dates and chronological lists detailing the meals she had eaten on those days. As the pages continued, the days became more and more recent.

Mike’s mind was reeling. He was entirely too trapped in his own world; trying so desperately to recall when his fiancée’s new habit had formed that he hadn’t even heard the apartment door open.

The hair’s stood up on the back of Mike’s neck as a voice spoke from behind him, “kid, I was in the neighborhood and wanted to drop off some food—“

The pair of risqué underwear he had been holding along with Eleven’s notebook clattered to the floor. 

“Oh Jesus,” Hop muttered at the scene before him as he shook his head in disapproval, “what the hell are you doing?”

Mike held his hands up like he was guilty for committing a federal offense, “I-I was putting away laundry and I-I found this.. this notebook. I didn’t know, I’m—“

Hopper recognized the boy’s panicked rambling and immediately closed the space between them, bringing his almost son in law into a firm grasp. He held him in place until his body stopped unnecessarily shaking.

“Mike, are you okay?” the man asked after a few moments of silence.

His shaggy hair flew as he nodded hastily, “yeah, yeah I’m okay. I just didn’t know El was dieting.”

The burly man chuckled heartily, having assumed that it was a joke, but stopped himself short when he noticed Mike’s cold demeanor. “What, are you kidding me? My little girl, the one who usually eats two hamburgers and three hot dogs at the family barbecue each summer, on a diet? For what?”

“I don’t know,” Mike grimaced, feeling angry with himself for not having an answer to that question. Before he could get a handle over his emotions, he began to berate himself in front of Hop, “I mean, what kind of idiot doesn’t recognize his fiancée is watching what she eats? What kind of man doesn’t make sure their significant other is aware of how amazing they are? What the hell is wrong with me?”

In that moment, Hopper wanted nothing more than for the ground beneath him to open up and swallow him whole. He understood the boy’s internal concern, but he wasn’t sure how to best explain that this situation isn’t within his control.

“Kid, there’s nothing wrong with you,” he steered the lanky man over to the bed, sitting him down so that he didn’t faint or anything, “to be honest with you, I don’t know when this all started either. As far as I’m concerned, my daughter’s been the same size for seven years now and she’s in perfect health. Maybe she’s just trying something out and seeing what diets are all about.”

Mike nodded, slumping over a bit as some ease entered his body, “I guess.. but how do I go about asking her about this?”

“Don’t ask any questions,” Hop snapped in an authoritarian tone before easing up a bit, “try being subtle about it because if you come at her with urgent questions about a diet, I can guarantee she won’t be very receptive.”

Mike reflected on the advice he had just been given before a massive smirk took over his features, “sounds like you know this information based on experience. What kind of fights have you and Joyce gotten into because of your millions of probing questions?”

On that note, Hop shoved the boy hard enough that he fell on his side, “don’t be an ass, kid,” he muttered as he stood up and walked over to the door.

“Anyways, like I said, I brought by food. It’s from El’s favorite diner, so it’s the usual sandwich with a slice of chocolate cake. You call me if you need anything, okay?” Hop urged, wanting to assure the kid understood he was there to support the two of them.

Mike jokingly saluted, “understood, sir,” he then turned more serious, stating with sincerity, “thank you.”

About an hour passed and there was still no sign of Eleven. Mike was beginning to go mildly insane as his unrealistic worries began to play cruel tricks on him. He was just a minute away from throwing on his shoes and going to find her when she suddenly came through the front door.

Her arms were layered in heavy bags and her chest was heaving like she had run a marathon, “I may or may not have gotten far too many groceries, but that’s okay.”

When she looked over at Mike with a gleaming smile upon her dimpled face, he could have sworn he had passed away and was being greeted by a designated angel. Everything about her was entirely too ethereal to be real.

He took hurried strides over to where she was in the kitchen, gently pushing her backwards until she was pinned to the countertop. He kissed her lips once before burying his face in the crook of her neck, “I missed you, love.”

El giggled as she wrapped her arms and legs around his form, “I missed you too. What did you do while I was gone?”

In that moment, Mike found his subconscious shouting at him. ‘Oh, you know, just the usual. I put away the laundry, read your hidden calorie counter, and then had a mental breakdown in front of your father.’

He recalled what Hopper had told him to do, so he answered as smoothly as he could manage. “I got most of the laundry finished up. What all did you get at the store?”

El’s eyes lit up as she hopped off the counter and maneuvered over towards the bags she had abandoned, “they had a sale on fresh produce and since we usually can’t afford them when they’re regularly priced, I decided to get us lots of fruits and vegetables. I figured they can go along as nice sides with our meals.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she went to begin putting away her discounted items. When she opened up the fridge though, her vision caught sight of a familiar to-go container.

“Babe, where did you get this from?” El questioned, holding up the food Hopper had just dropped off.

Mike responded as nonchalantly as possible, “Hop came by to give that to you. I forgot to mention he stayed and we talked for a bit.”

“Oh, what did he have to say?”

Once again, Mike Wheeler’s ever-present guilty conscious was screeching at him to tell her what he had found. 

“We just talked about random things. We actually talked about the annual family barbecue since that’s coming up in a few weeks,” he responded, casually leaving behind the rest of their discussion and his anxiety attack.

“That’ll be fun! Well, you can have some of the sandwich and cake now if you want. I’m going to go get a quick shower,” El gave him a kiss before she fluttered down the hall.

A few seconds passed since she had walked away and the weight of the world felt as though it was settling stagnantly upon Mike’s frail shoulders. For starters, he was feeling immense shame about having read her private documents.

The sad part is, this isn’t even the first time he’s done something like this.

When the two of them were just fifteen, Mike had stumbled upon her bright yellow diary. He can still vividly see the daisy covered pages in his mind. And he can definitely remember having been caught by her after reading the first few pages. She wasn’t particularly angry, but was adamant about knowing exactly why he had felt the need to read it. No arguments came from that experience and Mike had ended up walking away with very important knowledge. 

In other words, reading her diary was how he discovered that she enjoyed engaging in french kissing as much as he did.

Yet, his mind was currently running rapidly with the horrors of this ruining them. What if she didn’t forgive him for looking through what appeared to be a dietary diary? What if he did nothing about her dieting, and somehow, it evolved to being a great issue that causes her to have detrimental health problems?

Haunting terror thrilled casually within his core as he sat there and stewed in his worries. It had been barely five minutes since he was left alone and he already decided he couldn’t bare another moment.

Mike’s long legs directed him to their bathroom faster than usual. His sweaty palms gripped the door knob only to find that he had been locked out of the area.

“El? El, baby please open up!” he pleaded.

He immediately barreled into the steam covered room once she had effortlessly unlocked the door with her powers. He steadied himself against the wall as he heard her angelic voice feature with the sound of flowing water, “everything okay, Mike?”

His breaths were abnormal and uneven which was making it incredibly difficult for him to speak. He opened up his mouth, but the pressure from carrying the built up guilt and fear consumed his ability to do so. He whimpered as a cry rattled his chest, which was then quickly followed by heavier sobs.

He could hear the faint murmurs of her panicked tone now intertwining with his emotional distress. Before he even understood what was happening, he felt himself floating midair. His body was soon delivered underneath warm water, which helped soothe his instability.

Although, the only thing that truly cured him in that moment was the vision before him. El’s ivory colored skin was glisteningly flushed and her eyes were peering at him like he was the most valuable item on this planet. 

El cradled his tear covered face in her hands, pushing back his damp curls to get a better look at him, “talk to me, baby. You have to tell me what’s wrong so I can help you.”

His mouth downturned into a gruesome pout as the truth came sputtering out of him, “I-I read the notepad in your drawer. I just wanted to know what it was and I know I shouldn’t have read it, but then I found out you w-were keeping count on what you eat and..and I panicked,” he stopped as a heavier cry threw him mentally off balance, “it worried me because I’ve read about how severe diets can lead to starvation and other things,” he hiccuped, “I just want you to be okay. You’re perfect the way you are.”

Once Mike had finally stopped himself from projectile rambling, he realized she was staring at him still with the same look of deep concern. He felt as her right hand drifted away from his cheek and weaved into his hair. She urged him forward, pulling him closer into her welcoming embrace until his head was settled safely against her neck.

Eleven stood there, gently stroking along his back. She never uttered a word, remaining solely focused on getting his breathing evened out. Mike essentially melted against her as his body sang in delightful relief. As long as she was here; healthy and happy, that was all that mattered.

A few minutes passed them by before Mike’s lips acted like magnets, giving in to their undeniable attraction to El’s expansive exposed skin. He moved his head so he could kiss along her shoulders, and after receiving no outstanding protests, he ventured down the divine valley of her chest. 

The spell of silence was broken when he couldn’t hold back his admiration, “you’re absolutely beautiful. There’s no way I could ever deserve you.”

He felt her pointer-finger pull on his sharp chin, silently demanding that he return back to her eye level. Once she got what she was seeking, El assured, “You have a massive heart, Michael Wheeler. There’s nothing in this world that could ever keep us apart because we deserve each other’s love.”

His eyes watered and his bottom lip wobbled, “b-but I read your things. I invaded your privacy. You should be disgusted with me—,” Mike found himself being interrupted by a heated kiss that he gladly sank further into.

El tugged on his lower lip, keeping herself right there as she murmured, “it wasn’t something I was necessarily hiding from you, Mike. I was embarrassed to admit that I was starting to keep track of what I eat. I just want to look my best for the wedding, so I’m basically keeping on eye on exactly how often I’m having eggos after midnight.”

Mike shook his head, feeling like a complete imbecile for having overacted to the extreme magnitude that he had, “I’m sorry for reading your business and acting like such an idiot. But I need you to know that you don’t need to keep track of what you eat; unless it’s something that makes you happy. Regardless, you’re always going to be the most gorgeous person I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”

El lightly shoved his shoulder, “thank you for worrying and being supportive. I love you.”

His body withered at her endlessly understanding nature. Not only was his fiancée immaculate appearance wise, but she also had a wholesome heart that had a never ending amount of kindness within it.

“I love you so much, El. I love you more and more everyday,” he promised, pulling her body closer towards his.

She had looked like she was about to say something when her eyes started drifting around. What her sight had seen was her fiancé’s waterlogged clothing, which only made her blatant nudity stand out starkly. She couldn’t stop herself from giggling at the silliness of it all.

“What’s so funny, Miss Hopper?” Mike questioned as he rested his forehead against her own.

She looked up at him with a smirk, “I’m starting to think your panic attack was just a sneaky trick so that you could see me naked.”

Not even a second later, a prominent blush took over Mike’s freckled cheeks as he grinned boyishly. He trailed his fingers along the nobs of her spine before finding his voice, “it wasn’t a trick. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, love.”

“I know,” she rolled her hypnotic eyes, “but the least you could do is make things even now.”

She wanted to laugh at the sight of his dark pupils that were dilating rapidly because of her proposition. However, she lost her chance to be smug when he softly pressed her into the cool shower wall.

“Are you teasing me, El?” his voice was now laced with a grittiness that made goosebumps arise across her flesh.

Eleven took a deep breath and smiled lopsidedly, “maybe just a little bit.”

As soon as those words had left her mouth, she found the remaining sliver of space left between them eliminated. Mike wasted no time, chillingly running his tongue along the bottom of her lip, helplessly seeking entrance. She gave in with a whimper, feeling herself quiver as her mind became gloriously muddled by their connection.

The water had eventually turned brutally cold shortly after the pair found their euphoria. They hurried out of the shower, burrowing themselves deeply beneath blankets and holding onto each other tightly.

Sleep was already pulling them both in when a sudden growling noise disrupted the pair. El giggled at herself before tumbling out of bed unceremoniously.

Mike pouted at her dramatically, “no! Come back, I need you here.”

She pulled on a pair of her fuzzy socks before looking back at him, “I’m hungry. Want to share that cake with me?”

The couple sat in the kitchen for the rest of the evening sharing their delicious treat. It was comical to believe that the start of the dilemma that had occurred earlier that day unfolded due to common household chores.

Perhaps Mike Wheeler wasn’t the king of laundry after all. However, at the end of the day, he was the owner of El’s heart. And that was the most royal title he could have ever asked for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to take a moment to say that if anyone is struggling, please always feel welcome to reach me privately at my tumblr, (@ thedreams-theyfloat). I can promise to always be a judgement free listener to all.  
> And if anyone has any one-shot requests, feel free to let me know! It may take me awhile to get to them, but I warmly welcome ideas as always!
> 
> Sending many hugs xx


	24. Permission Granted (1992)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike has an important question to ask his girlfriend’s father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry for my absence, life has been crazy. I’ve had many requests for this specific prompt, and I’ve finally completed it! Enjoy!

Every walk of life offers a different journey. Stories plot themselves in vague ways; never designed to perfectly replicate a similar tale that came before.

Some people enjoy spontaneous moments that come unraveled without any proper preparation. On the opposing hand, others may need a solid framework to ridden anxiety from existing within their grand gesture. It just so happened that Mike Wheeler found himself straddling the line between those two extremities half hazardously. 

Apart of him was desperate to pull off techniques that worked for others in the past, which would require him to assemble a rigid game plan. Yet, another part of him wanted to ask his important question on a random whim.

Mike had inquired Dustin and Lucas for their opinions regarding his plan of action, but the two failed to assist in creating something whimsically simple that Hopper would appreciate. 

So, that’s exactly how he found himself requesting that his girlfriend’s father meet him at the local mall. 

To Mike’s utter surprise, Hopper was ecstatic about the out of the blue invitation. In fact, it couldn’t have been more perfect. The burly man of honor had been desperate to get himself new boots, and it turned out it was a task that Joyce refused to take part in.

On the day of, Mike discovered the reason behind nobody wanting to come to a shopping center with the middle aged man. Shockingly, it was because of how picky Hopper was. The duo had already been to all three department stores and time was ticking by dreadfully. Three hours and a purchase of work boots later, the men finally wandered over to where the main question was meant to be proposed.

“Will you go grab us some food?” Mike asked, gesturing over to the scattered array of options as he faked exhaustion.

Hop scratched his beard nonchalantly as he dropped his box of shoes beside the lanky boy, “sure,” he wrestled with his pocket to pull out spare change, “it’s on me though.”

Pretending as though he hadn’t seen the money Mike was presenting to him; Hop turned on his heels and walked away with his own funds, chuckling as he overheard the boy quietly cursing at his retreating form. 

Just as Hopper made it past scoops ahoy, he felt a creeping presence lurking behind his shadow. The trained defender silently braced himself before spinning around to be met with one of his greatest disturbances.

“Jesus, Dustin, what are you doing? Haven’t you ever heard of personal space?” Hop questioned the curly headed kid.

Dustin sported his characteristically wide grin and giggled, “sorry, sir. What brings you to our stellar starcourt establishment?”

“I needed new boots and came over here with Mike,” he clarified.

“Oh. Oh!” Dustin exclaimed, “did Mike ask you already?”

Hop blinked slowly, thinking back to see if he could recall the kid asking him anything, “no. What is he suppose to ask me about?”

Dustin’s cheery expression immediately wiped clean off of his face. He appeared slack as panic overcame his features. Rather than think of a lie, he stated what came to mind, “excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom.”

Just like that, Dustin proved himself to be a fast paced walker as he sped off from the mess he had unintentionally created.

To say Hopper was confused about the exchange that just occurred was an understatement. He always knew that the Henderson boy had been odd, but that encounter made the seasoned cop feel as though there was a grand scheme to the reason he was here.

————————————————

The bench that Mike was sat upon as he waited for Hop was currently rattling beneath his anxiously shaking legs. The day had been dragging, and he was not sure how to best ask the man he would like to impress.

He had a firm understanding of exactly who Hopper was. He knew that he was a man of simple things that appreciated the littlest effort possible. However, he also knew that the police chief had a soft spot that was undeniably fun to trigger.

“The pretzels aren’t even that good.. hey, why are you sitting all the way over here instead of near the rest of the tables?” Hop asked through a mouthful of food.

Mike flushed and felt his anxious tendencies bubbling forward. His mind was incredibly flustered and he could feel his cheeks heating up unpleasantly. It also didn’t help that the intimidating man was giving him a look of pure confusion.

“Kid, are you alright? You look like you’re going to pass out,” Hop’s voice was laced with concern as he sat down beside the boy, placing a firm hand on his shoulder in hopes of steadying him.

Without further ado, Mike did what he does best. Ramble.

“I’m okay. I didn’t ask you to come here with me today because I wanted to come shopping with you, and I’ll actually never ask to go shopping again because you take forever,” the boy gapped at his own unfiltered words before continuing with a slight stutter, “I-I just wanted to ask you if I can marry your daughter without being overbearing. I know she deserves better, but I-I love her and I would do anything I could to protect her and make her happy.”

Hopper’s eyebrows relaxed as his worries for the Wheeler boy dissipated. Once that relief washed over the man, a new wave of emotion came crashing down upon his shoulders.

Mike gestured his hand to the store that was just five feet in front of the bench they were sat on, “if it’s okay with you that I propose, I was hoping that you could hopefully look at some rings with me. I know El’s style well, but I want to make sure you like the ring that I choose too.”

Hop glanced over towards the fancy jewelry shop before them, feeling his heart leap outwardly as he realized this was actually happening. This was the question that the Henderson boy had mentioned. 

Hopper was going to finally gain himself a son-in-law. 

There was not a shadow of doubt that crept within him when it came to Mike. In fact, he was sure that the boy beside him is the only other human being, aside from himself, that he trusts to take care of his daughter.

Just as Mike went to subtly plead further, Hopper squeezed his boney shoulder, “I thought we talked about this before. There’s no need to ask for my permission. You have been welcome to marry my daughter for a long time now because I know she will always be safe and happy with you, and that’s all that matters.”

Mike’s big brown eyes looked directly into his soon to be father-in-law’s as he lowly asked, “do you mean that? Do you think I will be a good husband?”

An unnoticeable tear worked its way out of the corner of Hop’s eye before it trailed down his cheek and hid within his beard, “you will be the best husband for my little girl. You are a good man, and I would be happy to help you pick out a ring.”

There was a flash in the atmosphere; charged by pure joy, that allowed the lanky boy to initiate a hug so immediately that it took Hopper by surprise. The two embraced tightly for a few seconds, leaving just enough time for Mike to murmur a quiet thank you. 

It was on that note that Hopper rose up from his seat, “well, let’s go see how much money you are about to drop on an engagement ring.”

“Actually,” Mike shuffled on his feet as a sheepish smile overtook his features, “I’ve been saving up for this moment since I was sixteen years old.”

The man before him rolled his eyes and smirked, “that does not surprise me in the slightest bit.”

——————————————————

A few hours had passed since Mike had successfully placed an order for the customized ring that he had built with Hopper’s subtle assistance. It definitely was not a cheap endeavor, but it was a purchase that made him ecstatic.

He was currently laying on his bed editing a paper he had recently written for his creative writing course when a sudden weight dropped down next to him.

His girlfriend arranged herself so that her head was dug snuggly into the crevice of his neck and he felt as she dared to leave featherlight pecks upon his sensitive skin. 

As El continued her affectionate gesture, Mike became fixated on her hands. He daintily played with her fingers, getting lost in the idea that soon there would be a silver band adorned by a simple, yet elegant diamond mounted upon her ring finger.

Eleven suddenly dragged her teeth along his earlobe, pleasantly disturbing him from his daydream as she whispered, “what are you thinking about, babe?”

Mike looked over at her and laid his palm against her warm cheek, gently pulling her face closer to his so he could peck her plump lips before answering, “I was just thinking of how much I love you.”

He smiled as her warm starry eyes rolled playfully, “such a charmer, Mr. Wheeler.”

He was about to flirt with her further, but a beaming smile suddenly overtook her face. El’s hands tightened around the back of his neck and she snuggled in closely enough until her nose rubbed against his lovingly.

“What’s got you so happy, love?” he questioned with genuine curiosity.

She pressed her forehead into his as she continued to grin, “I just got off the phone with my dad. He said you really made his day by going out shopping with him earlier,” she paused, her smile becoming toothier by the second, “I had no idea someone offering to go get boots with him would make him so ecstatic, but he sounded really happy. It’s silly, but it makes me glad to know you two get along so well.”

Mike laughed a bit at what she said; not because it was funny, but because it made him feel immensely fortunate to have such a significant bond with the man that had rescued and raised his soon to be bride.

“It’s not silly. Him and I had a really good day,” he stated truthfully.

Eleven kissed his cheek and asked casually, “did you get anything while you two were out adventuring?”

Keeping secrets from El was something Mike was simply not capable of doing. He essentially had to bite his tongue off in order to not ruin the surprise. So, rather than lie, he settled upon expressing part of the truth.

“Technically I didn’t get anything, well,” he paused, feeling as the truth nearly toppled out of his sealed lips, “I actually got a pretzel, which wasn’t even that good.”

Eleven, who eyed him suspiciously for a moment, giggled lightly, “a pretzel? That’s all you got?”

“I looked around at some other stuff. Who knows, maybe I got you something. You will just have to wait and see,” he said coolly, finishing his statement by leaving a peck against her temple.

The two remained propped up for several more moments, simply talking about other mundane topics that engrossed their days. After a while, their bodies naturally slumped as tiredness overwhelmed their senses. 

They laid in a heap of limbs, allowing their body parts to become tangled and intertwined. The couple was so close together that they could feel every flutter of one another’s eyelashes.

Just as Mike was drifting off, he felt as her voice vibrated off his chest, “thank you again for taking my dad. I’m glad you guys are like family.”

His throat became thick with emotion as he planted a firm kiss to the crown of her head, “thank you for letting me be apart of the family. I love you.”

He heard her half-asleep hum, which he knew was her way of confirming that she loved him as well. Once she was fully asleep with little snores escaping her lips, Mike allowed himself to play with her fingers again.

There was a image displayed so clearly in his mind that if he squinted, he could practically see the beautiful ring perched on her finger with the word, ‘promise,’ engraved within.

The day would come where the ring would be presented to her; where he would validate that they were going to be spend eternity by one another’s side. And with that, he realized he would gain much more than just a stunning wife.

They would become an official family. And that was the final realization that entered his mind before he fell asleep with a pleasant smile plastered upon his freckled face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this turned out okay! I’ll be having much more free time for writing as I’m about to graduate from college. So, if you have any requests, please feel free to comment them!   
> Sending you all love!


	25. Remember When (2001)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike & El’s son stumbles upon their high school yearbook. A photo within is uncovered and revives a memory from the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit all over the place as it begins in the year 2001, then goes back to 1987 for a flashback to when Mike and Eleven were in high school.   
> MILD WARNING: this chapter contains more explicit language than usual. Please do not feel forced to read if that makes you uncomfortable!

It’s odd how the human brain convinces itself to forget a harsh memory. Almost like applying a permanent bandaid, the cerebrum patches up a thick layer of gauze to the trauma that one’s endured. Although we sometimes forget the entirety of what happened within an event, there’s usually at least one person who can fill in the gaps that have formed within the mind.

Benjamin Wheeler, who was now a babbling little rascal, had been playing a game of hide and seek with his grandfather when he stumbled upon a rectangular object in his parent’s closet.

“Whatcha got there kiddo?” Hop crouched down in front of the boy, looking down at the large book that his small hands were grasping.

The raven haired toddler shrugged and his honey colored eyes relayed his internal confusion, “read to me.”

The grandfather of the year was currently babysitting his youngest grandchild while the kid’s parents took their daughter to a doctor’s visit with Sam Owens. Hop was unable to deny any of Benny’s requests, so without further ado, he swooped down and picked up the child that kept a firm hold on the hardback item. The two snuggled up on the couch beneath a thick blanket as their eyes gazed at the cover.

‘Hawkins High Yearbook 1986-1987’

Hop sighed and ruffled the boy’s curly locks, “I’m afraid there won’t be much to read in here, but there should be some goofy old pictures of your mom and dad. Wanna take a look?”

Ben’s dimples beamed up at his grandfather as he nodded. With that, the duo began exploring the dust covered pages. The first face that stood out to the boy was a youthful version of his uncle Dustin. After his wandering eyes picked up on other familiar faces, he began growing impatient.

“Where’s mommy and daddy?” he questioned sternly, poking at the pages in hopes of seeing their printed images.

Hopper flipped a few more pages before a satisfied smirk appeared beneath his graying beard, “do these two look familiar?”

Benny sat forward, almost letting his button nose collide with the page as he examined a younger version of his parents. The image that was located in the center of the page showed Mike and Eleven cozied up close together on a set of bleachers. Although the photo was in black and white, it was easy to see that El’s cheeks were stained with tears.

“Why does mommy look sad?” Ben’s voice was laced with concern as he asked his grandfather for more information.

Hop, who took a second to analyze the photo further, was almost certain that he could vividly remember what happened to the two of them that day. He pushed back the memory and was just about to assure his grandson that all was well when the front door suddenly came unhinged.

“We’re home!” El warmly called out as she looked around the house for her family.

In a flash, Ben was up and charging towards the area that her voice had come from. His eager eyes landed on his mother and just before he could reach her, a set of familiar arms grabbed ahold of the sprinting toddler.

Benjamin allowed his father to hug him before he started squirming, “I want to see mama!”

Mike faked offense and let out a scoff, “what? I’m not good enough?”

The little boy squeezed his father’s shoulder, almost wiggling out of the embrace as he squealed, “mommy was sad. I want my mama.”

El, who was standing just five feet behind the pair, shot a worried look in her father’s direction. 

From the safety of the couch, Hop lifted up the source of what had caused this commotion and stated, “Benny found your yearbook and saw a picture where you look like you were crying.”

Before she could respond to Hopper, a new voice interrupted El with a shout, “I want to see!”

There was a brief burst in the gravity that surrounded the home’s sanctuary as an unnatural wind gust moved across the room. Reappearing in the blink of an eye was the married couple’s daughter. Rather than walking over to the couch where her grandfather sat with the book, it seemed as though Willow decided to travel in her teleporting fashion.

“Mom, you were crying, but you were pretty,” Willow declared with a smile shot in her mom’s direction.

Mike clambered his lanky body onto the couch as he clarified, “your mom is still really pretty.”

Benjamin, now situated in the comfort of his mom’s nurturing arms, rested his tiny palm on her cheek, “are you sad?”

El smiled at her son who seemed to carry all the empathy in the world on his shoulders. Ever since Ben was a baby, she could sense that there was something completely special about him. It was remarkable how deeply his heart reflected care for those around him at such a young age.

“I’m not sad at all,” she linked her pinky with his much smaller one, “promise.”

Ben pointed towards the living room where the yearbook remained present, “then why does that picture show you sad?”

Mike, who was sat beside his father-in-law, peered at the photo. The moment his eyes met the page, a violent surge of emotion wracked his chest as the memory of what had happened coiled hotly through his beating organ.

“Is this from the day Will called me?” Hop muttered lowly, his words only intended for his son-in-law to hear.

The brooding man unclenched his jaw, “yeah. I can still remember everything that happened just minutes before this picture was taken.”

El crept up behind the couch as she rocked Benny on her hip, “I have no idea why I look sad in this picture.”

“Are you serious?” Mike asked, genuinely curious about whether or not she could recall the event that unfolded unfortunately that day.

She pursed her lips, “I really have no idea, but I’m glad you were there to cheer me up,” she smiled as an idea coursed through her mind, “why don’t you tell us about what happened?”

Sadly, just after the question had been prompted, Eleven was able to register the heavy demeanor that her husband was sporting. Luckily, it seemed as though Hopper had also noticed the severe change in Mike’s mood as he attempted to provide some distraction.

“Actually, if it’s okay with you two, I was going to see if I can borrow Willie and Benny for a couple of hours. Joyce and I wanted to go check out the new arcade, but we think we need some youthful presence for it to be acceptable,” Hop proposed in a slight ramble.

Willow, completely forgetting about the possibility of learning more about the photo’s backstory, shot up excitedly as she ran to grab her shoes.

El looked down at her son, “Benny, don’t you want to go school grandpa Hop in some games?”

Benjamin lightly smiled at his mom and kicked his feet, “yeah!”

Once the young boy and girl were strapped into the back of Hopper’s cruiser, the man reached down and lightly hugged his daughter to conceal his whisper, “call me if you need anything. Let me know later how he’s doing.”

El understood that her father was referring to her husband who was still inside the house sulking. She quickly nodded and confirmed, “have them back no later than nine zero zero.”

Hop chuckled, “nine o’clock. Got it.”

When Eleven walked back into her home, she noticed that her living room was now vacant. She wandered down the long hallway and stopped at the entryway of her bedroom. Her husband, who was stretched out on top of the duvet, was focused on analyzing the image that screamed at him from the pages of the book.

Without hesitation, El crawled across the king size bed and gently rearranged Mike’s long legs so that she could sit directly between them. Once successfully landing in her place, she nestled her back to fit into the groove of his chest. The comfort of being in his arms had nearly lulled her to sleep until his voice roused her.

“I’m sorry if I seemed mad. I just can’t believe I forgot all about that until seeing this picture,” he finished his apology by pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

She hummed, “it’s okay. Can you tell me about that day? I’m sorry I don’t remember just from looking at the picture.”

Mike began working his long fingers through his wife’s hair, eliciting a few sighs from her as he untangled a few knots. Once he felt her muscles fully soften against him, he began to unravel the complicated web of events.

“It was the spring semester of our junior year..”

————————————————————

FLASHBACK TO SPRING 1987. AGE 17.

The news of a fight spread like wildfire through the halls of Hawkins High. There had never been a girl who was able to harshly combat against a particular group of privileged boys. However, that all changed when El Hopper outshined them. 

This specific group of vile boys were the ones that skated their way through high school; only truly excelling within sport related matters since their parents could afford to sway their below average grades into top ranked colleges.

Unfortunately for Max, Will, and El, they just so happened to be in the same gym class as all five of these boys. And sadly for them, a day had come where Eleven had beaten them in their only specialty.

After coming in first place for the mile, a line of students formed around El to congratulate her on her impressive stamina.

Will, who was stood proudly beside his sister, was suddenly shoved to the ground with force. Once El retrieved him off of the gravel, Max noticed that her friends’s usual kind hearted light brown eyes were now blazing with rage.

Eleven caught sight of Phil, the imbecile that had the audacity to lay his grimy hands upon her brother, and couldn’t convince herself to stop from spitting out, “you were so upset about losing in a gym class race that you had to push the first person you could lay your hands on? Pathetic.”

“I didn’t realize sluts could run. And I am not upset, I was just trying to help the world by taking out a worthless nerd,” the cocky bastard boosted as his idiotic friends crowded behind him.

El felt Max’s hand rest on her shoulder as a way to steady her, but it only fueled her hatred further, “if you would like to help out the world, then I suggest seeking therapy. It seems as though you have severe behavioral concerns that are causing you to act out aggressively. I wish you the best and hope you get well soon.”

On that note, she had turned on her heel with her friends in tow. Will had an arm around her shoulders, which helped reground her through the wave of anger that had flooded her veins. 

The trio reentered the school and were immediately greeted by their remaining party members. Mike had grabbed ahold of his girlfriend’s hand as soon as he saw her face and noticed that her usual calmness was coated in foreign unpleasantries.

Before he could question her about what was bothering her, a fist banged on the locker beside them, “I wasn’t finished with you, Hopper.”

El abruptly turned to face Phil with a snide grin on her face, “that’s a shame, because I was over our encounter before it even began. I suggest you walk away now.”

A cackle came out of Phil’s mouth as he made eye contact with Mike, “feisty. I’m sure she’s killer in bed, Wheeler.”

“Get the hell away from us,” Lucas snapped as he stepped forward with Max, both silently preparing to defend their friends.

The warning went undetected as the jock continued taunting Mike, “she seems like a caged animal most days, but I’m sure when you two are alone she lets her wild side out. I’m sure she’s the type that doesn’t mind being hit either, probably likes it rough—“

Mike, whose temper was easily triggered, was far past committing his usually tamed outburst. He had already surpassed blind rage and was just about to exercise his freewill to destroy this son of a bitch, yet, it seemed someone had already beat him to it.

Eleven couldn’t hear anything. The words that Phil had stated drew her back into her tormented days in the lab where she was in fact treated like an animal that was held captive. She had been abused; physically and emotionally, and it seemed like her trauma was reappearing in the forefront of her mind.

She failed to hear her friends intake sharp gasps as her tightly clenched fist landed upon a chiseled face. She unfortunately couldn’t even register the satisfying sounds of Phil’s nose breaking apart. Eleven could not manage to process the feeling in her own knuckles as they popped beneath the battered boy’s face.

Several hits later, El felt as her body was lifted from the ground. She watched in a daze as Dustin delivered what he played off as an accidental kick to the boy who was now wailing on the school’s tile floor.

Her body was taken out near the track where this situation all began and her world became more in focus as she felt the bleachers beneath her shaking as the party descended into the space beside her.

Mike, who had been carrying her, broke the silence, “water. Someone give me water.”

With one hand pressed into the nape of his girlfriend’s neck, he helped guide her in drinking from the bottle that Will had hurriedly placed in his unsteady hand.

After getting her to take in some fluids, he stated his next set of directions, “Will and Dustin, go call Hopper and wait for him to get here. Tell him everything so he can talk with the school. Lucas and Max, go wait by the back door and make sure nobody comes out here. Make sure nobody finds us. Okay?”

The four party members didn’t question the boy’s firm instructions. They simply leapt into action and went to execute their assigned damage control tasks.

Mike situated his girlfriend in his lap as he subtly rocked her form back and forth. He hummed to her in hopes that if he did everything he normally does to help rouse her from a nightmare; that maybe she would soon reawaken to the reality that was playing out in real time.

A few minutes had passed and her eyes were still connected upwards with the passing clouds. Mike’s subtle panic at her unresponsiveness picked up as he failed to keep up with his relaxed facade any longer.

El felt as Mike’s wobbling warm lips pecked her cheeks. She could hear a whine developing in the back of his throat as he became more concerned. Not wanting him to experience any more anxiety, she forced herself to whisper, “I’m sorry.”

He gasped at the sound of her angelic voice, a glimmer of relief shocking his system as he hurriedly asked, “sorry? What are you sorry for?”

“The fight. I started it,” she sobbed harshly as her soul ached, “I’m the monster.”

“No, El. You’re not the monster,” his dark eyes clouded with tears as he gathered his girlfriend into his arms.

The two of them sat there, curled up in shambles at the expense of what had happened. Eleven was upset that she had lost control and had allowed a bully to unravel her resolved past. On the other hand, Mike was devastated that the real monster got away with verbally harassing the love of his life.

The silently peaceful moment they had been existing within drifted away when El made the mistake of attempting to clutch onto her boyfriend with her broken hand.

Mike startled at her wince and drew soothing circles along her lower back, “what’s wrong?”

El lifted her hand for him to see, “I think I broke a few fingers,” she sighed, “my dad’s going to be so mad at me for not remembering to punch correctly.”

The idea of Hopper only being frustrated with the circumstances solely because she had gotten herself injured in the midst of destroying a pretentious creep got the couple laughing.

After a few minutes, Mike daintily lifted up her hand and kissed along the spots that were decorated with purple bruises. The moment was incredibly intimate as it seemed like he was attempting to channel every ounce of love and adoration he had for her into healing her injury.

El buried her good hand into his unruly locks and allowed her eyes to fill with more tears, “why do bad people enjoy hurting other’s?”

Mike felt like he was being choked by the heavy emotion that consumed him. The way his girlfriend had phrased her question absolutely rattled him to the core. She did not deserve her past and she certainly did not deserve to experience the tauntingly grizzly nature that occurred just twenty minutes ago. If he could, he would remove them from this world and take them to a universe where euphoria was the only occurrence that channeled through the society.

After he collected himself, wanting to show a brave face for her, he answered sincerely, “I really don’t know, but what I do know is that you don’t deserve what happened to you today. Nobody deserves to be treated that way,” he inhaled deeply and began rocking her again, “I promise to always be there to protect you from bad people.”

A stream of fresh tears fell from her glazed over eyes as she gently smiled up at him, “I promise to protect you too.”

Nearly a half hour later, after the chief of police had stormed into the school to raise a little bit of hell for what his daughter had to endure, the party went back out to retrieve the pair. However, when they spotted the two cuddled up is a blissful position, appearing to have found some comfort and grace; Will made his friends steps come to a halt.

The boy quickly clicked the camera that was around his neck and clarified to the others, “it’s cute. Besides, Hawkins best couple needs a special spot in the yearbook.”

The fallout from the fight lingered around Hawkins High. El was suspended for the remainder of the week for displaying violence on school property. As a result, Mike Wheeler would be notably absent during those few days as well.

Phil, jerk of the century, finally got what was coming to him. After Will and Dustin reported that Phil had not only egged on the entire situation, but also had the audacity to indirectly sexually harass Eleven; Hopper did not leave the administrative office until sufficient repercussions were made. Which is exactly how Phil’s parents eventually agreed to transfer their son to the private school across town, making it so the bully was never to be seen in the halls of Hawkins High ever again.

The events that occurred that day remained with El for weeks. Nobody spoke of it after a few months had passed and awhile later, it became one of those moments that one’s brain chooses to forget; seemingly bandaging over it as though it were never even relevant.

————————————————————

BACK TO PRESENT 2001. AGE 31.

Once Mike got done retelling the tale of that fateful day, the two sat in silence for awhile. The only sounds that were heard over the course of the next several minutes were the light exhales that escaped from their mouths.

Feeling the need to break the stillness, El shifted so that she was now straddling her husband’s lap. She displayed a comforting closed lipped smile before leaning in to rest her forehead against his.

“I never really forgot about that happening, but it wasn’t ever necessary for me to bring up. I moved past it and forgave myself so long ago for beating him up. I just had no idea that there was a picture of us from that day that had been published in our yearbook,” she clarified to Mike, wanting to assure him that her memory was not that out of whack.

Mike shifted a bit beneath her, already having understood what she meant as he allowed a smile to dance across his freckled face, “my girl is a certified badass.”

“True,” she bit her lip, “but you’ll still protect me from the bad people, won’t you?” she retorted with a playful smirk.

In response, her husband’s grip on her hips tightened as he pulled her in closer, “I meant what I said. I promise to always protect you.”

“I know,” she murmured as her lips briefly pressed into his.

The kiss she delivered left a blazing sensation to stir within Mike’s abdomen as his body craved for more. Without hesitation, he recaptured her lips with his own, immediately feeling as their mouths melted against one another’s. With a new fire beginning to burn within them both, they could not help but to feel extremely thankful that Hopper had taken their kids out for the evening as they needed the solitude to conjoin heavenly.

Almost an hour later, as El was curled up on her husband’s bare chest, she groaned, “we have to be clothed for when the kids come home.”

Just as they were about to roll out of bed and collect their clothing from where it laid scattered across their bedroom floor, the telephone rang from the kitchen. Neither of them were fast enough to answer, but the caller made sure to leave a message behind.

“It’s me. Look, I know we said nine o’clock, but Joyce and I lost in a game against the kids and now we owe them icecream sundaes,” Hopper sighed before he continued, “I hope everything is okay. I know that picture looked familiar and I know that day was difficult. If it makes you feel any better, at least I was able to teach you guys during that suspension time how to properly punch without breaking any fingers. Anyways, we will be back in about an hour. Love you both.“

The two basked in the information that Hopper’s message entailed. Their shoulders slumped in relief as they realized that they had time before they had to reclothe and leave their bed.

El turned to face Mike, giggling as he raised his eyebrows suggestively, “round two?”

She smirked devilishly, “I like the way you think, Mr. Wheeler.”

Mike paused himself from nibbling along her defined collarbone to retort, “likewise, Mrs. Wheeler.”

The two spent the rest of the evening creating memories that were bound to last a lifetime. They expressed their love in the divinest way they knew how and that was something they would cherish for the rest of eternity.

After all, their connection was so concrete that not even a diseased mind could erase the memory of their ethereal love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this! Also, I just wanted to thank everyone who has continued reading my one shots. I appreciate you all!  
> \- Mel <3


	26. Thriller (1994)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike has a dream about what could have happened if El & him had reunited on Halloween night in 1984.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How’s everyone feeling from all of this Stranger Things/Mileven content!? Personally, it has killed me & brought me back to life multiple times in the span of 48 hours. Anyways, enjoy this one shot!

HALLOWEEN NIGHT (1984)

The sensation of being watched is unlike any other. It unfolds with prickles at the back of your neck before an unsettling chill radiates through your bones. As soon as one detects that they are being analyzed by watchful eyes, it’s almost like having a paralyzing alarm internally ringing in full fledged panic.

The haunting feeling of being followed had been trailing behind Mike’s back for nearly twenty minutes. Anxiety was itching up his throat, but he forced his terror into the furthest corner of his mind as he and Will trudged behind Lucas, Dustin, and Max.

After leaving the Loch Nora area, it still seemed as though there was something silently awaiting his attention. Sick of feeling inferior to fear, Mike spun around and saw a small ghost standing ten feet behind where he stood. The figure did not move or waver, almost as if they had been stunned into a permanent placement. 

He looked over his shoulder to see that his friends and the red headed girl dressed as Michael Myers had already gotten a few yards ahead of him. With a sigh, he shifted his attention back to face the ghost; only this time, the petite figure had grown much closer. The person stood just an arm’s length away from him as their pupils burned into his own.

“A-are you lost?” Mike stuttered.

The ghost simply shook its head, denying the idea of being unaware of their surroundings.

“Oh. Okay, well, I’m going to go find my friends,” he declared, yet, his feet couldn’t seem to follow his statement.

The two simply stood there in the middle of the dimly lit street and stared at one another. The fearful worry that had built up within Mike’s gut had oddly diminished to ash as he remained in close proximity to this unidentified person.

Taking a leap of faith, Mike gulped, “do I know you?”

Frustration seeped into his core as the figure chose not to speak. However, a new emotion flooded his chest when a flannel covered arm reached out to him. The sleeve of their shirt was unbuttoned, allowing a sliver of their pale wrist to be exposed. 

There, resting on top of the skin he had been desperate to touch for the past year, was the number that made his heart sway amongst the heavens.

‘011’

His tear filled eyes flickered back up to her’s, immediately recognizing the way that the honey brown coloring called out to his soul pleadingly.

Not wasting another moment, his feet shuffled forward in an uncoordinated rush as he placed his arms tightly around her waist. He was hit by such euphoric adrenaline that he giddily lifted her off of the ground for a brief moment. Millions of words lingered on his tongue, begging to be spoken, but she beat him to it.

“Mike. It’s not safe,” her hands gripped his shoulders as she urged, “we need privacy, please.”

With Mike taking the lead, the duo silently sped walk hand in hand into the edging of the woods, only stopping once they found a large fallen tree trunk to sit upon. Just as he was about to start firing out millions of concerned questions, he recalled his burning urgency for something else.

His hands worked quickly as he freed her from the white cotton sheet. Now staring back at him beneath the moonlight was the prettiest girl he would ever see. Her doe eyes hadn’t changed and the dimples that permanently caressed her cheeks remained dominant. The only notable difference within her appearance that had already captivated his heart were the chestnut curls that he so desperately wanted to run his fingers through.

El’s mouth parted in surprise as Mike laid a hand against her cold cheek and began speaking to her in a deeper tone than she was used to, “where have you been? I’ve missed you more than you will ever know. Are you okay?”

She couldn’t stop herself from bringing a hand of her own up to rest along his freckled skin, “I missed you every day, but I’m okay. I’ve been safe.”

The natural pull between the two was blaring through the atmosphere loudly, almost like the white noise surrounding them was begging for them to be closer. Giving in to the feeling in the air, Mike leaned in slowly until he could lightly feel her breath fanning against his chin.

“I don’t want to pry, but I have been so worried. Please come home with me,” he paused to press his forehead against her own, “y-you’re my home, El. When you left, my home went with you. I promise to keep you safe and happy. We can talk about what’s happened and what’s going to happen next. Everything will be okay, I promise.”

Eleven, who seemed to sense his underlying fear amongst the heartfelt words he had just proclaimed, gently leaned in dangerously close to him. 

“Home,” she whispered as a hopeful smile took over her glowing face.

Mike nearly floated away in pure bliss as he felt her soft lips graze against his. However, just before she could fully mold their mouths together, a sneaky sense eagerly snaked along his tensing spine.

Something or someone was near. And he knew that they were being watched.

He suddenly pulled back from El’s face and noticed her displaying obvious confusion at his sudden rejection.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as she laced her fingers with his.

His long legs urged him to move as he abruptly stood up straight, pulling her to stand with him. His throat became thick in horror as he stated lowly, “I don’t think we are safe here. We have to go home where I can keep you safe.”

Eleven nodded at him understandingly before the two took off in quick strides. They had been moving rapidly for two minutes and could just begin to see the familiar glow of neighborhood street lights when rustling footsteps could be heard behind them. Mike didn’t dare to turn back, only focusing on moving them along faster as his grip tightened on her comforting hold.

He risked looking over at her scared expression and squeezed her hand assuringly, “don’t let go. I’ve got you, I promise.”

Seconds later, just as his feet made it onto the street’s pavement, a harsh pull was made upon his arm that had been clinging onto Eleven. And with that pull came a dreadful emptiness that threatened to swallow him whole as he recognized that he no longer felt her hand within his own.

When he whipped his head around, he watched in rage as two men gathered a semiconscious El into the back of a white van that had a familiarly terrifying logo. The bottoms of his tennis shoes pounded upon to concrete as he ran to save her, even though he knew he was already a little too late.

His sweaty palms made pitiful contact with the back of the van just as it sped off. The only sound that his ears could register was the shrill scream calling out his name; although, that eventually blurred to nothingness when the car disappeared out of sight.

Mike’s head and heart felt like it had been destroyed by a black hole. His body was shaking compulsively and his throat felt raw from the painful cries that were now escaping his mouth. The love of his life had just been within his grasp, and now he was left where he started. Completely shattered and utterly alone. 

He brought his fists up to his head and shut his eyes harshly as his mind mocked him by replaying her voice speaking out his name. When it seemed it couldn’t get worse, her voice within his head grew louder and the world around him eventually faded to black.

——————————————————

PRESENT DAY — 1994

El had been happily asleep, swept away in a pleasant dream, when she suddenly heard her husband abnormally groan.

When she rolled over to face him, she recognized a coating of sweat developing on his forehead. Upon further analysis, she noticed his face was contorted into a deep frown as tears cascaded out from beneath his closed eyelids. Just as she was about to wake him, he began to cry out her name. She felt unable to move, nearly not believing what she was seeing. She watched for a moment in horror as his body notably shook, almost like he was begging to be set free.

Not wasting another second, Eleven rattled herself out of her state of shock. She started with subtle soft nudges along his shoulders as she murmured his name sweetly. When that didn’t seem to work, she put more power into her voice and movements. After trying diligently to wake him with no signs of success, she became frustrated with herself.

El screamed and shook his shoulder desperately as she shouted, “MIKE!”

On that note, the man beside her awoke with a gasp. His eyes were filled with fresh tears as he looked around the room, appearing as though he was hopelessly searching for something. 

The moment his eyes laid on her, he hiccuped and scrambled towards her carelessly. His arms wound themselves firmly around her waist as he buried his face into her chest. 

The dream had began the way he wanted Halloween of 1984 to play out, but it ultimately transformed into a petrifying nightmare.

He found himself getting lost in the terrors his mind had just conjured up until a soft hum came from up above him. Gladly accepting the comfort he was in need of, he nestled his face further into his wife’s bosom as he breathed in her distinct vanilla fragrance.

El began untangling her husband’s knotted curls and waited for his breathing to even out before questioning lightly, “do you want to talk about it?”

Before Mike responded to her heavenly voice, he allowed his muscles to relax. His lanky body slumped in a heap as he rested his head in her lap. Once settled, he looked up into El’s glassy eyes for a moment and instantly took notice of the way worry swam within her honey colored orbs.

“I had a dream you came back to me on Halloween night ten years ago, but it went wrong. I wanted you to be there so badly that it felt real and then I thought the bad men got you,” he paused, taking a steady breath as he admitted, “now I’m scared that this is all apart of the dream too and I’m going to wake up alone.”

Eleven’s heart clenched at the tone of her soulmate’s voice. He lacked the normal variation of life that was carried within the words he rambled out. To her, it seemed almost like this nightmare had robbed him of his ability to recognize reality. And having been familiar with the long lasting effects of bad dreams herself, El was determined to set her husband’s mind free.

“I’m so sorry you had that dream, love,” she pecked his forehead and forced down the emotion that threatened to crawl out from within her as she continued, “but it wasn’t real. That Halloween still wasn’t great for either of us, but we were able to reunite just a few days later.”

Mike took in the clarity of her words as his eyes became fixated on a glimmering object. Her sparkling engagement ring strictly demanded his attention as he noticed that it was paired with the wedding band that he had officially slipped onto her finger just a few months ago. 

Interlocking their fingers together, he squeezed her palm and asked quietly, “this isn’t a dream, is it?”

Eleven’s free hand gently rubbed his forearm as she whispered, “this is no dream. This is real, I promise.”

With relief channeling through his veins, Mike sat himself up to face his wife. Her camisole was wrinkled from sleep and graciously left a grand portion of her collarbones on display. The sight of her partially parted pink lips had him captivated, making him ache to taste her skin.

“Y-you’re beautiful,” he stuttered helplessly.

A bashful smile overtook El’s face as she playfully shoved his shoulder, “it’s two o’clock in the morning, so it’s definitely impossible for me to be beautiful.”

A giggle escaped from El as her husband gently pushed her onto her back. Her laughter continued and mixed with a few pleased sighs as he lovingly kissed his way up her body, eventually stopping his pursuit once he had made it to the tip of her nose.

Mike laid himself on top of El’s tiny frame, making sure to evenly distribute his weight. He left his face hovering just centimeters over her’s as he took a moment to fall even deeper into love with her.

El shivered as he whispered, “you are perfect. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is because to me, you will always be the prettiest woman I’ll ever see,” he teasingly brushed his bottom lip against her’s as he politely asked, “can I kiss you?”

Rather than verbally responding, Eleven chose to take matters into her own hands. Her lips hotly pressed into his, and she gasped as he impatiently traced his tongue along her lower lip. She pulled on his curls yearningly and grinned into the heavy kiss as a low growl broke freely from Mike’s restraints.

Time ticked by pleasantly as articles of clothing were thrown carelessly across the room. Their skin became littered in bites of adoration and sang happily as the intimate dance teetered along. Afterwards, El laid calmly in the secure hold of her husband’s arms. She was just finding herself lulled off to tranquility when Mike spoke her name.

She angled her neck so that she was looking into those divine dark brown eyes, “yes?”

“I’m scared to go to sleep,” Mike admitted shamefully as his lip wobbled, “I don’t want to have another bad dream like that one.”

Eleven pulled herself out of his grasp, biting back a laugh as he resembled a child who’s favorite toy had just been confiscated. A moment later, once she had herself propped up against their headboard, she patted between her opened legs. 

“Come here,” she urged him gently.

Mike crawled away from his usual side of the bed and burrowed his body into the spot his wife was directing him to. He sighed contently as he settled his head between her breasts, feeling as safety blanketed over him once her arms encased his torso. 

Her fingers soothingly drew circles along his bare abdomen as she cooed, “everything will be okay, just close your eyes. I’ll be here when you wake in the morning, I promise.”

The sound of her steady heartbeat was proving to be the perfect lullaby to his fears as tiredness overwhelmed his body. Fighting against his heavy eyelids, he sluggishly picked up her hand and pressed a kiss to her wrist before sleepily mumbling, “I love you.”

Eleven remained awake until daylight came peering in through their bedroom window. Mike had spent countless nights watching over her to make sure he kept her disturbing dreams at bay, so she felt it was only right for her to return the favor.

When Mike awoke the next morning, the falsified events that the nightmare had depicted of Halloween in 1984 had already been expelled from his mind. In the light of day he was able to recognize that there was no false memory or derogatory dream that could interrupt the joyful way life had ended up playing out for them.

Deciding to start the day off on a new optimistic foot, Mike slipped out of bed as stealthily as possible. He tiptoed his way around their kitchen as he prepared a plate of homemade waffles and a cup of highly caffeinated coffee. Once breakfast was ready, he sauntered back into his bedroom and held back a chuckle at the sound of his wife’s snores. He silently placed the plate of food on the side table before pecking her swollen lips, properly waking her up like the queen that she was.

Although El had dark bags surrounding her tired eyes and had frazzled curls sticking up around her head like a makeshift halo, he knew his words from a few hours earlier remained incredibly true. It did not matter what hour of the day it was or what she looked like; for Eleven would always be the most beautiful woman that Mike would ever see.

The two enjoyed a carefree morning with the understanding that they would encounter more challenging nightmares in the future. However, the dreadful dreams were only ever minor obstacles that they would overcome together.

In fact, there were not enough horrors in the world to defeat the irrevocable and consistent love that Mike and El had established in November of 1983.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PSA - follow me on my Instagram (@ eggohopper), to talk all things Stranger Things!! You can also reach out to me there about any requests you may have!  
> Sending hugs!  
> \- Mel ♥️


	27. The Black Hole (1998)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unexpected news and unexpected outcomes are brought to Mike and Eleven by Joyce and Hopper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is by far one of the most emotional one shots I have ever written. Once you have read it, please stick around and leave me with any feedback possible. I hope you all enjoy!

Unexpected get togethers can often bring spontaneous joy into one’s day. The random company can provide extreme warmth and unfiltered brightness that even the sun cannot dispense. On the contrary though, sometimes unplanned gatherings can have ulterior motives; which allows space for an obliterating black hole to appear.

The arrival of Hopper and Joyce at Mike and El’s home was sudden. They often popped up out of the blue to come say hello or to drop by a surprise meal. However, it could be felt in their presence that this particular visit was not meant to be light hearted. Eleven realized this detail the moment she saw her mother’s halfhearted smile. She also took notice of how entirely exhausted her father appeared, so she began to brace herself for what was about to be said.

In attempt to make light of them showing up, El chirped, “hey! We didn’t know you were coming. Willow is with Jonathan and Nancy until seven, but you can wait until she comes back to say hello.”

Willow, their almost two year old child, was spending the day with the married couple. It wasn’t unlike Nancy and Jonathan to ask to spend time with their niece, so upon their request, Mike and Eleven happily obliged.

“We know, sweetie,” Joyce confirmed before squeezing her daughter’s shoulder, “let’s go sit on the couch, there’s something we want to talk with you two about.”

Worry wept in the pit of El’s stomach and only became worse when she looked at her father, who currently seemed to be avoiding her gaze.

Mike pulled his wife towards him protectively as his own anxiety began to boil. He helped her sit along side of him on the couch and let his hand rest on her thigh, serving as a silent reminder that he was here for her.

Once both couples were sat down facing each other, Joyce cleared her throat and shot a glare in her husband’s direction. Hopper huffed, wiping his face in concerned frustration before he began talking.

“I just want you both to know that everything is going to be okay,” Hopper swore in a sincere tone.

El, who was becoming more panicked as the seconds ticked by, piped up bitterly, “of course everything is going to be okay because nothing is going on. Everything is fine.”

Hop’s eyes glimmered with unshed tears and he smiled lightly in Mike’s direction, “you two have always been a stubborn duo.”

The burly man was stalling. Everyone in the room knew him well, which is why they understood that this was his way of sugarcoating something that would shatter any existing tranquility that remained within the room.

Joyce interlaced her hand with her husband’s much larger one and lowly spoke, “go on. It will be okay, but don’t drag this out. Just say it.”

Hopper rolled his eyes, knowing that his wife’s insight was right. He had hidden the truth and the arrangements that were being made from his daughter for the past month. He did not leave her out to be cruel, but to spare her of the hardship she was about to be introduced to.

“I haven’t touched a cigarette since the day you turned sixteen, Ellie,” Hop recalled, getting choked up just looking at his grown up daughter, “I remember that was all you wanted for your birthday that year because you told me you wanted me to live forever.”

Hopper had to take a full stop in attempt of ceasing the sobs that were internally pummeling his chest. And as he took a this brief moment of silence; El acknowledged how she could feel everything, yet nothing all at once. She knew what her father had to say was going to break her heart, but in that exact second, the only thing she could physically feel was Mike’s anxiously shaking leg.

“For awhile I thought I was getting out of breath when I walked up stairs because I’m lazy and haven’t been exercising much,” Hop chuckled at his own pitiful joke before his face turned stoic, “but the doctor let me know after a few tests and scans that I have lung cancer.”

The silence that followed his reveal felt utterly devastating as there was no peace within this abnormal quietness. There was only the sensation of bleeding broken hearts screaming for immediate help. El could see her husband’s tear covered freckles from the corner of her eye and she could feel his usual dainty fingers beginning to grip her thigh tighter; almost like he was squeezing her to release some of his personal agony.

Joyce couldn’t take the deafening pain in the room as she clarified, “it’s stage two. Your father and I have found an excellent doctor that’s keeping up with his case and he will be getting the surgery to remove the portion of his left lung that contains the cancer,” she rambled quickly before finishing with, “he has a high chance of survival because they don’t think it’s within his lymph nodes, but we just wanted to let you know what was going on.”

After taking a moment to process the daunting words that her parents had just revealed, El flickered her tear filled eyes to meet with Mike’s. And in that moment, she realized something she really wished she hadn’t.

That’s the finicky thing about being intertwined with a soulmate. Truth does not need to be spoken because it could easily be seen within a simple glance into one another’s eyes.

“You knew,” she spat at her husband as the tears cascaded down her cheeks, “you knew and you didn’t tell me.”

“Baby, it wasn’t my news to share—“ 

Mike made a move to wrap his wife lovingly within his arms, but she abruptly stood and dodged his comforting hold. He and Hopper moved forward at the same time and came in closer to her as she slowly backed up like a petrified animal.

“I asked him not to tell you because I needed more time to think of how to explain everything to you. I know this is difficult, but everything is going to be okay—“ Hop’s assuring words were cut off as objects began to float around the room.

Eleven’s angered grief overwhelmed her senses and she lost her ability to remain in control as she allowed her powers to cause a minor ruckus. The books she had lifted collided into nearby walls and the furniture began to rattle as if there was an earthquake.

“Love, please tell us how we can help,” Mike pleaded as he inched closer to his devastated wife.

Her nose began to bleed heavier than it normally would as her emotional distress wreaked havoc on her system. Not wanting to see herself become a monster, she forced her scrambled mind into relaxing until every inanimate object set back onto concrete surfaces. Eleven was left lightheaded, but that did not stop her from forcing her body to move towards the front door. Three sets of feet came behind her, but she carelessly lifted a hand, instantly ceasing their movement.

“Let go of us, El,” her father spoke sternly before his tone became more nurturing, “we can talk about this more. I understand it was wrong of us to wait to tell you until now, but let us apologize and explain.”

She turned around as her hand made contact with the doorknob, “no. Nothing about this is okay. I’m not okay, and you’re not okay either,” her eyes scanned over their three equally broken expressions, “everything is not going to be okay, so stop lying to yourselves.”

With that, she opened the door and walked out. Her feet had only taken her about five feet outside of the room when she heard them calling out her name. She could hear her husband’s uneasy breathing, instantly identifying that he was definitely crying. Just as she was about to open the car door and drive away from the situation, her emotions came barreling down upon her shoulders. The weight she was carrying became unbearable and she allowed her frail body to collapse at the same moment she had freed her restraining powers.

A gut wrenching scream violently left her mouth as she punched the blacktop beneath her. A moment later, her arms were pinned to her sides. Mike stood her up and hugged her closely, all while he cried into her shoulder as she tried to escape his grasp. After minutes of her relentless attempts, her body became burnt out in sheer exhaustion. Her strength wavered as her body swayed, and she barely noticed as her husband gripped the back of her thighs and brought them to rest loosely around his hips.

After her tears had subsided and her breathes returned to normal, Mike began leaving kisses wherever he possibly could. He kissed the crown of her head, her shoulder, the shell of her ear; and continued to do so until she picked her head up from where it rested on his chest.

He kissed her lips chastely and used the sleeve of his sweater to help eliminate the tears and snot that remained on her skin. Even in the disheveled state she was in, Mike somehow still found her remarkably divine.

“I’m so sorry, love,” he gasped through his tears as his chest heaved, “I am sorry I had to keep this from you. It was killing me not to tell you, but he wanted to tell you himself once he had things better sorted out. I understand if you hate me, but please know that if I had it my way, I would have told you a week ago as soon as I found out.”

For the first time, El couldn’t seem to find any words to say back to her husband. She understood where he was coming from, but the unwell and upset portion of her mind felt poisoned with distain for every current thing alive. She could feel darkness brewing within her that could destroy everything. 

However, Eleven knew that the world was built to be a beautiful mess and she would rather suffer along side her loved ones than all alone.

She tightened her hold on Mike’s shoulders as her voice came out hoarsely, “it’s okay. It’s not your fault. And this is something I needed to hear from my dad.”

Mike readjusted his hold on her legs as he pulled her closer, pressing his forehead into her’s ever-so gently, “I’m so sorry this is happening, but for what it’s worth, your dad is the strongest man I know. If he says everything is going to be okay, then I believe him and I think you should too.”

Surprisingly, El’s lips curled into a small smile, “I remember when you called him a stupid and disgusting liar. It’s funny because now you’re here saying you believe in him.”

The dark brown eyes staring back at her returned to a glassy state as a watery grin overtook Mike’s face, “well, he kept you away from me for three hundred and fifty three days. If I knew him then like I knew him now, I probably wouldn’t have said all those things.”

“That’s bullshit, Wheeler,” Hop interrupted the couple with a chuckle, “but regardless, I’m glad you decided to like me.”

Mike looked at El with a serious expression as he rolled his eyes, “like I had any other choice,” his monotone voice broke as he laughed.

The two outstanding men shared their slice of optimism and El took it as an opportunity to free herself from husband’s hold. Once her feet were firmly planted back on the ground, Mike looked like he was forcing himself not to scoop her back up again.

Hop cleared his throat, startling the lovesick Mike as he gestured to the house, “can you head in? I want a minute with my little ray of sunshine.”

Just as El was about to protest that sarcastic nickname, Mike interrupted her by cupping her cheeks in his hands as he whispered, “it’ll be okay. I’ll be right here every step of the way, okay?”

Her bottom lip threatened to wobble as she silently mouthed, “promise?”

Her emotions paused as Mike kissed her, lingering for a moment after to lowly assure, “I promise.”

Once the front door had closed behind the lanky man, Hop sat himself down on the hood of the Wheeler’s station wagon. He looked over at his daughter and patted the available space beside him, “come sit.”

El followed his instruction with abnormal hesitation, almost not wanting to get too close to him in fear of breaking him. However, her gentle motions were disrupted when Hop dragged her into his side. She took a moment to silently remember her father’s comforting embrace. She analyzed the signature scent of his old flannel that somehow still smelt of their homey old cabin that they had both moved out of years ago.

Abruptly and without any ounce of grace, Eleven cried out, “why does this have to happen to you? Why does everyone I get close to have something go wrong? What’s wrong with me?”

Hopper rubbed her arm and rocked her delicately until her tears subsided. He gathered his own self during that time before he softly spoke, “this has nothing to do with you, Ellie. You can’t help the fact that cancer is a disease and you couldn’t have stopped me from getting it. The surgery is going to work and it will all be okay. I promise to be here to see Willow and my future grandchildren grow,” he smirked and bumped her shoulder, “you seriously can’t get rid of your old man that easily.”

His words were validating and made El feel as though she was coated in a blanket of safe assurance; yet, she still felt the need to continue prying.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she questioned curiously, trying to hide the hurt that was evident in her voice.

Hop frowned at her, “because I was scared you would be mad at me. And I didn’t want you to be stressed out when everything will end up being perfectly fine.”

Eleven pinched her father’s forearm, eliciting a gruff yelp as he disapprovingly shook his head. The two then took a break from the heaviness and allowed themselves to laugh at the morbidity of the scenario they were living within.

A tear dripped from the corner of El’s eye and landed upon Hop’s shirt as she questioned in a whisper, “everything will be okay?”

She felt as her father’s tears landed in her hair, “I promise everything will be okay, kid. I love you too much to lie about this, so believe me.”

El crinkled her nose at him and sported a toothy smile, “okay. Besides, you survived the upside down. It would be lame if you let cancer slow you down.”

Hopper chuckled and hugged his daughter tightly, “I love you, kid,” he paused, looking towards the front door as he spoke up an octave, “I love you two idiots too! I could hear you crying from in there for the past ten minutes, so you might as well come out.”

Having been caught eavesdropping, Joyce and Mike sauntered out to the father and daughter. On his way over to El’s side, Hop stopped the raven haired man to jokingly ruffle his messy curls. 

The two couples sat outside until the moon and stars overtook the sky. Awhile later, after Willow had returned and enjoyed an eggo extravaganza with her family, the grandparents departed for their own home.

Later that evening, after they had nestled closely together in bed, Eleven could feel her husband’s eyes burning a hole into the back of her head. She intertwined her fingers lazily with his hand that was resting on her waist as she asked, “what’s on your mind?”

“I-I still feel bad. Are you sure you don’t hate me for not telling you?” he questioned with genuine concern.

El rolled herself over to stare into his eyes so that he could see her honesty. She lightly played with the few curls that fell onto his forehead as she murmured, “I could never hate you. You don’t have to feel bad, it’s okay.”

He leaned into her further as he did earlier, except this time, he placed featherlight kisses upon her collarbones. He made sure to kiss everywhere his lips could find exposed skin, almost like he was attempting to heal her hurting soul with the support of his love and adoration.

“We will get past this as a family. Everything will be okay,” he repeated the mantra everyone had been assuring all day.

Her doe eyes slowly danced upon his beautiful face, taking in the way he looked at her, before she whispered, “I love you.”

He smiled at her with a pink blush rising on his skin, “I love you too.”

The two cuddled up beside one another, finding that the soft skin on skin contact helped resettle their harmony as they discovered a calmness amongst this storm.

————————————

The few weeks that followed were difficult. Eleven took off from work as much as possible to allow her the opportunity to protectively hover around Hopper. She lived her life on edge, afraid that she would lose the tough man that had taken her under his wing.

Mike and Joyce had to flank each side of El’s worried form in the hospital waiting room for nearly nine hours while her father’s surgery was underway. The pair could tell the girl was not only unsettled by Hopper’s wellbeing, but also from the sterile environment.

When the surgeon came out and informed them that the procedure was a success, Eleven giddily sprinted into her father’s recovery room. Mike had to legitimately restrain his wife from throwing herself onto Hop’s sore form, but showed his support by comfortingly rubbing her lower back while she rested her head on her dad’s bicep.

Ultimately, Hopper had successfully kicked cancer’s diseased ridden horrors and was able to live up to his promise. With his hand interlaced with Joyce’s, the two of them were able to watch all four of the grandchildren that Mike and Eleven had brought into this world thrive.

The lesson that was left to be taken away from this grueling experience was the understanding of how inevitable death is; almost like stars were guaranteed to paint the night sky. 

One never truly knows when it will be their last time to speak to a loved one until it is too late. And for that exact reason, Hopper learned to live life to the fullest whilst taking mental snapshots along the way. 

His aging mind could still properly replay the day he proposed to his lifelong love. He could even think deeply enough to nearly relive the moment he walked his little girl down the isle to a wonderfully nerdy man. And he certainly recalled with ease how it felt to read Anne of Green Gables out loud while all four of his grandchildren burrowed into his sides.

Decades later, when the time came for Hopper to leave this earth, he was accompanied by his middle aged daughter and son-in-law. He smiled lightly to himself as he understood that his long awaited reunion with his dear Joyce was near. 

And just before letting go, he smirked over at the pair who made his life worthwhile. Mike and El were currently reading aloud from the book he had read to so many before and the last quote Hop’s lively ears heard was the most fitting of all.

‘Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: the quote at the end of this is from Anne of Green Gables!  
> This was incredibly difficult for me to write. And it’s also dedicated to my father, who reminds me of Hopper’s character very much. Hold onto your loved ones closely, my dears.  
> On a final note, please comment or message me on Instagram, (@ eggohopper), any requests you may have!  
> Sending lots of love to all.  
> \- Mel♥️


	28. Happy Anniversary (2003)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A close look at two of Mike & El’s most memorable anniversaries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been desperate to write some fluff, so here is one of the most fluffy things I have ever written!

NOVEMBER 7th, 2003. PRESENT DAY

Mike Wheeler had always been one to conjure up the most romantic gestures. He had the tendency of buying his partner gifts on unplanned whims; just purchasing objects that made him think of her out of sheer randomness.

With that being said, to Mike, his and El’s anniversary was like the Super Bowl.

He went out of his way to arrange stunning plans and presented meaningful gifts to symbolize the overwhelming amount of love he withheld for Eleven in his heart. For some reason, he felt it was necessary to shower his girl in thoughtful gifts as frequently as possible to always remind her of how much he admired her.

On the other hand though, El was more mellow about anniversaries. She valued each waking moment with her husband and felt that simply spending time with one another was enough of a proper celebration. She always felt badly for not going as over the top as Mike had, but he continually assured that her mere existence was more than enough of a gift for him.

Keeping that in mind, it shocked both of them when El delivered the best anniversary present ever.

November 7th, 2003 — the day of their twentieth anniversary as a couple and tenth wedding anniversary brought the biggest surprise of them all. Theodore Sage Wheeler was a tad under seven pounds on that date when he was born. He was not expected to arrive until the first week of December, however, it seemed as though he desperately wanted to be apart of his parent’s private milestone. 

Nobody was around for the day of Theo’s birth. In fact, the party had all planned last minute business trips for this window of time to assure they were present for when El’s labor began. To top it off, Joyce and Hopper weren’t even able to be there as they had taken Mike and Eleven’s three other children on a weekend trip so that the couple could spend their anniversary in solitude. While it was unfortunate that they all couldn’t be in attendance for the grand arrival of baby Wheeler number four; their absence had actually helped in making this the most intimate delivery for the couple yet.

Mike was sat behind El with his legs stretched out on either side of her body; which also happened to be the exact spot he was located at during the birth. In truth, he positioned himself there so he could massage along her lower back when contractions had come barreling towards her in hopes of alleviating some of the pain that was ripping through her body.

His wife was now laid slack against his chest, appearing to have been completely worn out from her hard work. Regardless of how torturous labor genuinely was in the moment, Eleven still had a dreamy smile plastered on her face afterwards as she reflected upon the beautiful experience.

Thinking she had been asleep, Mike was startled when she spoke hoarsely, “this isn’t the first time we have spent our anniversary in a hospital.”

He grinned at his wife’s claim and murmured against the crown of her head, “that was an eventful night. I remember being so worried about you before I got there because I had no idea what was going on.”

Eleven blinked up at him sleepily with a small smile on her face, “can you tell me about it? It always sounds better when you tell our stories.”

From all of the emotions of the day, Mike felt his eyes prickle with tears at his wife’s pure request. Gripping her shoulders and pulling her deeper into the curve of his chest, he began retelling the events that occurred during that specifically uncanny anniversary.

“It was our junior year of high school, and I had just gotten my drivers license..”

———————————————

NOVEMBER 7th, 1987. FLASHBACK.

Nervous energy radiated within Mike’s core as he registered how different this date would be. This was the very first time he wouldn’t be picking Eleven up on his bike, which made the dazed boy feel like they were entering uncharted adult territory.

He had expected to flunk his first attempt at his drivers exam, however, it seemed like all the lessons he went through with Hopper had actually paid off. And as much as the boy hated to admit it, his girlfriend’s dad was quickly becoming his go to role model.

After spraying himself with a generous spritz of El’s favorite cologne, he sprinted down to the kitchen to retrieve the bouquet of flowers he had arranged and the keys to the family station wagon. He used his long legs to speed to the front door, and nearly exited his home to go retrieve his girl, when a voice shrilly called out his name.

“Mike! There’s a phone call for you,” Karen shouted from the kitchen.

He rolled his eyes, determined to leave, “if its one of the guys just tell them to leave a message,” he muttered lowly, “they should know to leave me alone because it’s our anniversary.”

Again, he strived to escape, but stopped when his mother shouted, “Michael! It’s the chief! I think you should come take this.”

A tight knot of confusion wound through his system as he redirected his steps. He was just about to head over to the chief’s home. What could possibly be so important that he couldn’t wait to talk to him in another few minutes?

Mike lifted the phone up to his ear and spoke dryly, “hey, I was just about to come there now to get El. Can we talk when I get there?”

“Wheeler, how would you like to come spend your anniversary in the emergency room?” Hopper proposed casually.

Immediately thinking that the man’s words were a joking threat, Mike retorted, “are you really that upset about me sneaking in last night that you want to put me in the hospital on the day of mine and El’s anniversary?”

The boy felt victorious about his snarky reply, hoping that it would put an end to this conversation that could be happening in person rather than over a telephone line. However, his triumph win crumbled as the burly man impatiently clarified the meaning of this important call.

“I was unaware you had snuck in last night, but we can address that later,” Hopper tiredly sighed across the line, “the point is, El is in the hospital and can’t make it to your planned date.”

In that moment, Mike’s ability to hear was drowned out by white noise. The wallpaper in his kitchen seemed to come to life as his vision flurried around the room, creating psychedelic shapes. He was on a fast track to losing consciousness when a gruff tone centered his mind once more.

“Kid, did you hear me? El is doped up and won’t stop asking for you to come here. So can you please get here soon—“ Hop stopped the words that were leaving his mouth when he noticed the phone line was now dead.

It only took Mike ten minutes to speed to the hospital’s main parking lot. Having been a new driver, his hasty park job was ridiculously crooked. Yet, that didn’t stop him from leaving his parent’s vehicle in a frazzled state as he abandoned the car with shaky legs.

The moment the lanky boy burst through the emergency room doors, Hopper knew he was going to create a scene. Before Mike could make it to the medical receptionist’s desk, the chief laid a firm hand on the panicked boy’s arm in attempt of steadying him.

As soon as he realized it was his girlfriend’s father who had a hold on him, Mike’s lower lip became wobbly, “what happened?”

Hop put a comforting arm around his shoulders and guided the boy to walk down the hall with him as he explained, “our Ellie is quite clumsy when it comes to coordination. She took a little fall off of Max’s skateboard this afternoon and unfortunately put a hairline fracture in her ankle,” Hopper raised his hand to silence Mike, who had appeared like he was going to interrupt his explanation, before he continued, “it’s apparently an easy break, so she will be fine in a few weeks. But just to warn you, she’s been in there sulking because she feels bad for messing up tonight’s date.”

Mike’s eyebrows rose, “first of all, an easy break still isn’t good. I wish she didn’t have to be here at all. Second, I’m going to talk to Max about letting her on that stupid zoomer board,” he paused to take a relaxing breath, “and she shouldn’t feel bad. I just want to be with her.”

Hopper glanced over the boy that was just a growth spurt away from towering over his height. He absorbed the fact that the kid’s dark brown eyes were mildly bloodshot from repressed tears and he seemed to be shaking more than his normal fidgeting. His fatherly intuition knew that Mike cared for his child on an otherworldly level, but seeing him so shaken up over what could be considered an average injury wounded his heart. To Hop, it seemed that there was unwavering trauma and pain that still lingered within Mike’s anxiety ridden veins, and the man felt that was all thanks to the separation he had forced in 1984.

Stopping them outside his daughter’s room, Hopper murmured assuringly, “it’s going to be fine, kid. I’m going to go hang around the cafeteria until she’s good to go so that you two can enjoy some alone time,” he lightly patted the boy’s shoulder and finished speaking in a lower tone, “no funny business.”

Mike sputtered for a moment before calling out to the chief’s retreating form, “how could I even do funny business in a hospital!?”

With a hefty eye roll, Mike checked his teenage angst at the door as he approached the sleeping form of his beloved girlfriend. Her warmly colored curls were laid out beneath her head, making her appear as vibrant as the summer sun. As soon as his index finger touched her cheek, it was like sparks had shocked her out of her slumber. Her honey brown eyes were hazy with exhaustion as she had been pumped full of pain medication, but that didn’t deter her from smiling brightly at the boy beside her.

El gripped her boyfriend’s forearm and lightly tugged as she mumbled with a grin, “happy anniversary, baby. Come lay with me.”

Mike gently scooted onto the bed, watching her diligently to assure he wasn’t hurting her. Once settled, he hooked his finger beneath her chin and brought her in for a quick peck on the lips.

“Happy anniversary, love,” he murmured peacefully as he felt relief course through him just from being near her.

Although, his relief was brief as fear crept forward once more as he watched her dopey smile transform into a heavy frown with tears beginning to surround her eyes. She had appeared on cloud nine just seconds before, but now seemed like a painful nightmare was brewing beneath the ounce of bliss she had been floating within.

Mike caressed her hair as he worriedly questioned, “what’s wrong? Are you in pain? I can go get a doctor—“

His rambled words were silenced when she released a pitiful cry, “my poor coordination ruined our anniversary. I know you wanted to make this special, and I completely ruined it,” she paused to blow her nose before continuing to tantrum, “I really wanted to be cliché and make out in your car, but I ruined everything!”

For the first time ever, Mike giggled at the sight of his crying girlfriend. Her words were ridiculous and he knew it was the dopamine talking for her, but his short lived laughter stopped when she began to hiccup between cries.

“Come here, baby,” he spoke lowly as he gathered her in his arms. He guided her head to rest on his chest as he soothingly cooed sweet nothings into her ear. 

Eleven’s tears halted after a few minutes when another fit of fatigue rocked her body. Too tired to pick her weighted head back up, she spoke into her boyfriend’s chest, “are you mad at me?”

“I could never be mad at you,” Mike assured quickly, dropping a kiss upon the crown of her head as he continued, “we can postpone our anniversary date for another day—“

“See! I ruined it. I’m the world’s worst and most stupid girlfriend,” she finished with an uncharacteristic pout; which was almost enough to make him laugh, but seeing how that went last time, he bit his tongue until he found the right words to say.

Mike cradled her face in his hands, forcing direct eye contact as he spoke in a low volume, “El, you are the best girlfriend. This injury and postponing our date doesn’t take that title away from you. I mean, we once had to spend three hundred and fifty three days apart,” he stopped, nearly becoming choked up at the memory before validating, “every moment we spend together is special, I promise.”

Eleven let her body soak up his affirming words, allowing her soul to feel giddy from the love he gave to her. With her usual warm smile back on her face, she leaned inward and gently rubbed her nose against his, “I’m so lucky I get to love you.”

Mike grinned and left a smattering of innocent kisses upon her face, which lead to her erupting in a loud fit of giggles. Right in this moment, regardless of her busted up ankle and eyes that appeared more tired than normal, she still managed to be the most iridescent person he had ever seen. There was not a single doubt present in his mind as he acknowledged that this radiant being was going to bring continual joy into each day of his life for eternity.

Having been so lost in his lovesick thoughts, Mike seemed to miss the fact that El had been struggling to maneuver into a new position until she had already successfully plopped herself in his lap. 

He raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend who was now hovering a few inches above him, “what are you up to, Ms. Hopper?”

El mischievously scooted herself closer until her chest was pressed against his, “I mentioned I wanted to make out in your car, but I guess making out in a hospital will have to do for this anniversary.”

Mike’s adams apple noticeably jumped as his girlfriend began to leave delicate kisses along his sensitive neck. His skin bursted in goosebumps as she tangled her fingers in his hair and quietly requested, “kiss me.”

“God, I love you,” he said before meeting her lips unceremoniously. The initial warmth that spread through their bodies and crept into their cores as they kissed was something the pair would never get enough of. Mike gripped El’s hips lightly and dragged her in impossibly close as he nibbled along her bottom lip, begging for entrance. The two spent the next five minutes playing a game of back and forth dominance, but after awhile, they pulled back to retrieve much needed air.

He laid a hand on El’s thigh as they caught their breath, “wow,” was all he could manage to say.

She clumsily collapsed on top of him and airily laughed into the crook of his neck, “wow, indeed.”

The two laid in a firm embrace, drinking in the comfort of being in one another’s arms. They murmured I love you’s and other romantic words to one another; before suddenly, and without much effort, their evened breathing lulled them both into a peaceful slumber.

When Hopper entered the room a few moments later, a silent huff escaped him as he smiled. While he disliked the fact that he could tell just by looking at their swollen lips and ruffled hair that some hormonally driven kissing had taken place during his absence; he figured it was best to save his fatherly lecture for another time so the two teens could get some rest.

It surely wasn’t the ideal way that Mike and Eleven had imagined spending their anniversary, but they were together and in love; and for that exact reason, nothing else mattered.

———————————————

NOVEMBER 7th, 2003. PRESENT DAY.

El laughed through her exhaustion, “if I wasn’t so tired, I would offer to make out in this hospital room,” she yawned, “but giving birth really takes a lot out of me.”

Mike tightened his arms tenderly around his wife’s waist and beamed at the angelic sight before him, “this is the best anniversary ever.”

Their newborn son, Theodore, was attached lovingly to the comfort of Eleven’s chest. While he was smaller than any of their other children were at birth, he somehow had the biggest presence; almost like he genuinely understood how special this day was for his parents.

“He really is the best gift,” El murmured sleepily.

Mike hummed contently before his breath caught in his throat at the feeling of his son grabbing ahold of his pointer finger. He watched as a shy smile skated across the infant’s face, appearing as though he was acknowledging the loving family he was born into.

“I love you,” he cooed at his baby boy before he pressed a kiss to his wife’s shoulder, “and I love you, so much.”

El sighed contently at her husband’s soft energy, “happy twenty years, love.”

“I’m so glad I met you that night in the rain,” he whispered as a tear dripped down from the corner of his eye.

Before she could respond, a heavy pattering noise came from above them. It first started off as a ticking noise, but soon picked up its pace into a full blown downpour. The sound was a natural lullaby; and it was one that expressed the way their love had began.

Mike heard his wife stifle another yawn before she suggested, “will you tell us a bedtime story about the night we met?”

Fighting back tears, he looked onward at his two sources of unwavering light. Mike Wheeler would never understand how he came to find the most incredible woman to grace this earth, but at the very least, he managed to understand how immensely lucky he was to have been given the gift of loving her.

“November 7th, 1983, was a stormy night. It seemed like nothing good would come from the torrential rain, but it ended up being what brought me to my soulmate..”

Mike retold the whirlwind of that evening and how he gently took care of the frightened girl. He relived the moment he placed her warmly beneath the canopy of his makeshift tent and bid her a good night’s rest. In a way, it was the story of how a bond instantly became a home and how their hearts became forever captivated.

With the arrival of Theodore, all of the puzzle pieces suddenly felt as though they had shifted into a finalized placement. Just like November 7th, 1983 — this party of six was fated to be together. 

It was their complete and promised happily ever after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this fluff!   
> I just wanted to mention that my brain is on the fritz from all of this incredible content that’s pouring in! If you are also freaking out over the fact that ST3 is just a month away, please feel free to reach out to me on Instagram, (@ eggohopper), so we can freak out and discuss the new season together!  
> Sending plenty of hugs!  
> \- Mel ♥️


	29. Crushing Big Time (2007)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike & El’s oldest daughter in now in middle school and is experiencing new things. As Willow’s teenage years begin to unfold, her father can’t help but find it hard to watch her grow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit more of a focus on Mileven as parents, (specifically Mike). Please enjoy!

There was an abnormal chill that greeted Willow on her first day of middle school. While the summer heat was still radiating rather strongly, she could feel there was a significant change creeping up her spine that was headed her way. She remained weary of the unknown feeling for most of her day until lunch time rolled around and things fell into place.

There was a circle of adolescent bullies surrounding a boy who appeared to have been sat at a table alone. Willow could sense the unsettling sorrow that was beginning to fester within the boy, and she knew she couldn’t bare to let him continue being treated this way. 

She walked over and pounded her fist on the table, “leave him alone.”

Jimmy, the worst of the school bullies, snarled, “oh yeah, and what are you going to do about it, Wheeler?”

Willow smirked maliciously, not willing to back down as she spat, “perhaps you forgot, but my mom works here. It would be a shame if the guidance counselor reported to all of your parents that you boys seem to have a severe inferiority complex, wouldn’t it?”

The boys surrounding the main bully disbanded immediately, not wanting to risk getting grounded. Once realizing his partners in crime had fled, Jimmy stalked away to find a new unsuspecting prey. Willow basked in her victory and smiled brightly to herself for a moment before a meek voice pulled her head out of the clouds.

“You didn’t have to do that,” the boy with auburn hair muttered.

She analyzed him for a moment, almost failing to reply as she got lost in his blue eyes, “I didn’t have to, but I wanted to,” she unceremoniously sat herself down at the table and held out a hand, “I’m Willow.”

“I know,” the boy quipped lightly before stuttering, “I-I mean, yeah, I h-heard. Nice to meet you, Willow Wheeler. I’m Bill.”

The two kids held onto their innocent introductory hand shake for a moment that stretched on longer than just a friendly affair. They could feel a silent energy that emitted within them as something new and wonderful began to unfold.

“Friends?” Willow proposed optimistically.

Bill beamed at her warmly, “friends.”

And that was how it started. Bill and Willow became an inseparable pair and spent each moment of their free time joined at the hip. The fall months blended into the new year and quickly brought spring out to play.

Willow had recently abandoned her own bike, promptly choosing to ride behind on Bill’s much larger and speedier set of wheels. Their friendship made them both feel infinitely free, almost as if they were destined to be apart of one another lives. Their friendliness soon fumbled into uncharted territory as they explored interlacing their hands; which eventually led them to admitting their mutual crushes.

Mike and El adored the pair of friends. Yet, the father was left feeling sour when he caught his oldest daughter sharing a kiss on the lips with Bill. Feeling absolutely beside himself, he had sternly sent the boy home for the evening and his pouting daughter up to her room.

With his hands pulling at his hair, he turned to his wife’s side of the bed and rambled, “she’s too young, right? I mean, this is crazy. This is crazy! My little girl isn’t meant to be kissing boys yet. She shouldn’t even know what romantic kissing is! Has she been watching too many soap operas? What—“

Mike’s deranged rambling stopped dead in his throat when Eleven’s soft lips suddenly swooped in and took his breath away. She pressed into him warmly and encouraged him to return the embrace, which soon filled his frazzled state of mind with a much needed sense of relief. 

She eventually pulled back and kissed both of his freckled cheeks as she murmured, “baby, that was us. Sure, Willie’s a bit younger than we were, but Bill is a good boy. He’s smart and shy, but I can tell he would do anything for our girl,” she paused as a grin overtook her face, “besides, I’ve known this was coming. She’s head over heels, and I’ve made sure she’s happy with where things are going.”

Mike was momentarily dumbfounded by the truth within his wife’s claims as he narrowly focused on the last thing she had just said, “you knew she was dating this boy, and you didn’t tell me!?”

The honey colored eyes he adored so dearly rolled in his direction before a firm tone was barked at him, “Mike! She talked to me in confidence, and I didn’t want to unsettle her by telling you her secret. She’s experiencing many changes and is becoming a young woman—“

“Nope! No, no,” Mike buried his head into Eleven’s chest and heaved a heavy sigh as he took in her comforting scent, “it feels like just yesterday I taught her how to ride her own bike. Now she’s growing up and doesn’t need me.”

El cooed in his ear and massaged his back as she assured, “she will always need her dad, I promise.”

After awhile, the married couple sat up and followed through with their nightly parental duties. Mike set aside his emotional baggage and read in lively character to his youngest children, Theo and River. On the other side of the house, El had Benjamin power down his video games and assured he was tucked nicely into bed. When the mother creaked open Willow’s door, she noticed a light smile gracing her daughter’s sleeping face. Beside the teenage girl rested her journal, where Eleven knew she produced stories, just like her father did.

That evening, the parents fell into the same cozy cycle of sleep. While Mike’s subconscious wanted him to lay awake in worry that he was losing his first born girl to the horrors of teenage years; it was his wife’s arms that beckoned him away from the brewing darkness to find some much needed rest.

When the sun came up the next day, Mike decided it was best if he skipped out on Saturday breakfast. While his family was continuing their typical weekend tradition, he was holed up in his office pouring his emotion into a coming of age poem that depicted how hard it is to watch a phoenix suddenly rise and abandon it’s home in ashes. The truth behind his need to seek solitude was that he couldn’t bare to be around his children that morning in fear of realizing none of them actually ever needed him at all. 

His gloomy thoughts were interrupted when a heavy hand clasped his shoulder, “I heard you are experiencing your daughter’s first love.”

Mike furrowed his brows, “Hop? What are you doing here?”

The man before him shrugged carelessly as a smirk appeared from beneath his grey beard, “Ellie filled me in on my granddaughter’s crush and I figured you might need somebody to talk to about it. Plus, it’s been awhile since I’ve stopped by for breakfast, so I figured this was a promising occasion.”

It was in that moment; in the striking presence of his father-in-law, that reality settled in Mike’s core. His wife was once a little girl who was swept away in a harrowing teen romance. And his beloved also used to be the one tagging along on the back of a well intended boy’s bike as they cycled deeply into unfathomable love.

Having nothing better to say, Mike spoke the first thing that came to mind, “I fully understand why you hated me and gave me such shit when El and I first started dating. This... this is just—“

“It’s hard,” Hopper ruffled his son-in-law’s shaggy hair, “it’s really hard to watch your little girl grow up, but you have to let her explore on her own. You can still make sure she’s being safe and is taken care of, but you have to let her live.”

Tears pooled within Mike’s eyes as his shoulders shook, “I just thought I had more time. I thought I would be her favorite guy for awhile longer.”

Hopper chuckled and pulled the raven haired man into a bone crushing hug, “Wheeler, you always will be. Just like I’ll always be El’s favorite guy.”

Mike stared at his father-in-law with a stone cold expression before breaking into a fit of laughter at his sly dig. Regardless of how difficult this experience was, he at least could feel reassurance in understanding that all fathers go through feeling like this as their children begin growing older.

The retired chief peeked over at the paper that rested on Mike’s desk, noticing that the title spoke so clearly for itself. The capitalized words, ‘OVERNIGHT BLOOM,’ let the grandfather know that the man next to him would learn to handle the progression of parenthood in his own creative way.

“I think there’s someone you should go talk to,” Hopper patted his back lightly before adding, “she’s had two stacks of waffles, so I can assure she’s well fed and won’t try to bite your head off.”

Mike chuckled with a nod, “thank you.”

The aging man shrugged, “no need to thank me. I’ll always be here to help you navigate the rocky waters of raising a girl.”

The two men headed back downstairs and saw a tribe of happy faces shining at them. El had a knowing smirk on her face as she threw a subtle wink in the direction of her husband. Mike trudged his way over and pressed a kiss to the crown of Eleven’s head before whispering, “I love you.”

She mouthed the words back to him slowly before she noticed that Hopper had already swept River and Benjamin up into a distraction. Without hesitation, El picked up her and Mike’s youngest child and pointed up the stairs.

“Theo has syrup pretty much all over himself, so I’m going to go get him in the bath. You two hold down the fort,” El instructed to her eldest daughter and husband, before calling over her shoulder, “specifically you, Willow. I know you can keep these people in line.”

Her daughter nodded with a grin on her face before she downcast her eyes back to the table. She played around with her used napkin and kept her attention averted from her father in fear of an argument. 

“Want to go swing out back with me?” Mike inquired, holding out a hand for her to take.

She smiled lightly and quietly said, “yes,” before taking her dad’s offered hold. The two walked in sync and soon fell into similar rhythms as they tried to see who could swing the highest.

During their silent competition, Mike couldn’t find the strength to stop the tears from pooling in his eyes as he watched his daughter. Willow was such a fearless individual that shined a uniquely calm light. She offered optimism and brought joy into the lives she touched without any given effort. She seemed to represent all of the captivating qualities that made her mother so special, and for that reason, it made it harder for him to watch her grow.

A few moments later, once they settled back to stagnantly sitting alongside one another, Willow mumbled, “why don’t you like Bill?”

Mike shook his head, “I don’t dislike Bill. I actually really like having him around, especially since he’s practically been living here since the start of the school year.”

Willow rolled her eyes, “then why did you send him home like that last night?”

“That was wrong of me to do,” Mike paused and silently berated himself for his mistake before continuing, “I’m sorry. I just noticed you two getting closer and I guess I worried you were growing up too fast. You’re my little girl.. and I wasn’t ready for you to start liking boys.”

A small hand reached over and gripped his tightly, “I might like Bill as more than a friend, but that doesn’t mean I’m speeding through growing up. I’m still a kid,” her lower lip began to wobble as she clarified, “and even when I do grow up, I’m not going to stop being a daddy’s girl.”

On that note, the father and daughter embraced tightly as they softly cried. This was technically their first dispute, and while it was rather tamed and short lived, it still made them realize how grateful they were to have each other as family. 

A few minutes later, once they pulled apart, Mike nudged her shoulder, “just try not to kiss the boy when I’m around, okay?”

Willow’s cheeks flushed a painful shade of red, “dad!”

The rest of that Saturday afternoon was spent interacting as a family. The parents played several rounds of various games with their children and eventually ordered boxes of pizza to serve to their hungry beasts. After dinner, Mike and El settled their kids down to watch X-Men. However, just before the movie began to play, there was a knock upon the front door. With his brows furrowed in confusion, Mike unpleasantly untangled himself from his wife’s side to see who it could possibly be. 

When he opened the door, a familiar figure was stood beneath their dim porch light. His daughter’s best friend, who was nervously clutching tightly onto a large bouquet of flowers, seemed to visibly gulp at the sight of Willow’s father.

“I suppose those aren’t for me?” Mike asked sarcastically as he crossed his arms.

Bill began with a stutter, “n-no, sir. They’re for Willow.”

The man pursed his lips teasingly before ending his taunting tone, “I’m sorry for sending you home early last night. I was caught off guard when I realized you two are becoming more than friends.”

A harsh blush coated Bill’s face as he began to fidget, “I really lo-like her, sir. I plan to take good care of her for as long as she’ll have me.”

Mike smiled, trusting the boy’s words as he confirmed, “promise?”

“I promise,” Bill spoke with no stutter present, appearing to solidify his intentions with crystal clarity.

Stepping aside, Mike allowed the boy to enter and surprise Willow. He watched as she pounced into Bill’s arms with a delightful grin plastered on her face as she accepted the kind gesture. About halfway through the movie, the young pair silently excused themselves so that they could talk about nothing; yet everything at once.

After Mike and El put their three youngest children to bed, they went to search for their eldest. Stopping at the backdoor, they looked out at the sweetest sight they had ever seen. Willow and Bill were cozied up on the hammock in the yard as they enthusiastically spoke to one another in hushed whispers. The two of them occasionally pointing up at the stars that laid out before them, happy to explore the galaxy that offered them tranquil unity.

El’s warm arm wrapped around Mike’s waist as she gushed, “they are so adorable.”

“They are,” Mike honestly agreed before pulling his wife into a tight hug, “let’s give them a few more minutes.”

Wanting to give the adolescent pair a sliver of privacy, the married couple wandered out to their living room. Making the best of their time, Mike held out a hand and bowed before goofily proposing, “may I have this dance?”

El fawned and gasped, “always.”

The husband and wife spun around in their living room to the calming sound of one another’s breath before they broke into occasional fits of childish laughter. Their eyes became locked on one another’s during their dance in such a permanent way that it almost felt like they had been captivated by an alluring spell that they had willing cast upon each other’s hearts. El and Mike got so swept up in their own tender moment that they seemingly forgot about the youthful duo that were still lounging in the backyard.

Nearly twenty minutes had passed when Willow and Bill sneakily approached the house to see what the cause of the giggles they heard was. However, their curious steps stopped short when they saw the girl’s parents engaging in an innocently cheesy moment.

Bill broke the silence as he interlaced their hands, “they always seem so happy together.”

Willow hummed, “one day, I hope to experience a love like they have.”

Mike and El’s ethereal relationship appeared as euphoric to others as it felt to them and in turn, had inspired their children to seek something as special as they had. Willow did not know it yet, but her hope for a fulfilling love would become validated just a bit over a decade from now when her father walked her down the isle to an older version of the boy that stood beside her.

It was the remarkable tale of how a crush evolved into something that would withstand through eternity. And in some ways, it was merely a repetition of her parent’s past replaying within her own life. Their stories unraveled with different hardships, but they ultimately shared one common theme.

Young love was resilient when fated to last for a lifetime.

********************************************

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys thought of this!   
> Just a heads up: as the new season approaches and content continues to pour in, my updates may become less frequent. I’ll still be posting as often as I possibly can though!  
> If anyone needs someone to gush to over all this content, please feel free to connect with me on Instagram, @ eggohopper !!  
> Sending many hugs to you all.

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: this idea came to me when I was dusting my living room and knocked over a picture of my mom when she was pregnant with me. The picture frame sadly did not survive the fall, but all is well.  
> Songs used in this oneshot included:  
> Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks (1971)  
> Madonna - Crazy for You (1985)  
> **if anyone has any requests as what they would like to see me write, please let me know! I’m open to anything! (:


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